The  Darjeeling 
Disaster 

ITS  BRIGHT  SIDE 

THE  TRIUMPH 

OF  THE 

SIX  LEE  CHILDREN 


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1912 


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The  Darjeeling  Disaster 

Its  Bright  Sid/N>*  ^^' 

FED  20  1959 


THE  TRIUMPH 


of  the 


SIX  LEE  CHILDREN 


BY 

ADA    LEE 


1912 

FRED  KELKER 

Harrisburg,  Pa.,   U.  S.  A. 


Rev.  D.  H.  Lee  Mrs.  Ada  Lee 

LEE  MEMORIAL  MISSION 
13  Wellington  Square 

CALCUTTA,  INDIA. 

MRS.  FANNY  L.  SPERRY 

Home  Secretary 

HARPER'S  FERRY,  W.  Va.,  U.  S.  A. 

To  whom  all  communications  should  be  sent. 


Copyright,  1912 

BY 

FRED  KELKER 

Harrisburg,  Pa.,  U.  S.  A. 


The  Darjeeling  Disaster 

Its  Bright  Side 


THE  TRIUMPH 

of  the 

SIX  LEE  CHILDREN 


BY 

ADA    LEE 


1912 
FRED  KELKER 

Harrisburg,  Pa.,   U.  S.  A. 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS. 

1.  The  Lee  Family,  frontispiece 

FACING  PAGE 

2.  Baby  Frank  In  His  Basket,   ii 

3.  ViDA  AND   Lois,    32 

4.  Wilbur  and  Herbert,   59 

5.  Ada  and  Esther,  80 

6.  Frank  and  Albert. 113 

7.  Ada  Lee,   129 


INTRODUCTORY. 

I  esteem  it  a  personal  privilege  to  call  the  at- 
tention of  the  reading  public  to  *'The  Darjeeling 
Disaster — Its  bright  side"  a  book  telling  the  story 
of  the  greatest  tragedy  in  the  life  of  any  mission- 
ary family  in  all  the  history  of  missions.  This 
book  has  passed  through  several  editions  and 
now  a  new  edition  is  being  published.  I  desire 
to  express  my  abiding  conviction  that  it  would  be 
of  great  benefit  to  have  this  book  placed  in  the 
Sunday  School  libraries  of  the  Christian  world. 
It  contains  a  story  more  thrilling  than  fiction,  but 
it  is  not  fiction.  It  is  the  story  of  the  Christian 
living  and  marvelous  triumphant  translation  of 
real  children,  I  knew  them  well  and  loved  them 
dearly.  It  sets  forth  an  ideal  Christian  home,  in 
which  there  were  active,  vigorous  boys  and  girls, 
and  earnest  Christian  parents.  The  story  of  this 
family  presents  a  standard  of  Christian  living  for 
both  parents  and  children.  I  have  known  lively 
boys  and  girls  to  read  and  re-read  this  book  until 
the  pages  were  worn  and  soiled,  and  in  so  doing 
their  lives  were  transformed. 

The  book  will  tell  its  own  story,  but  I  wish 
in  this  introductory  note  to  tell  a  comforting  part 
of  the  story  not  contained  in  the  book  and  not 
generally  known.  As  the  book  will  tell,  I  went 
with  the  Rev.  D.  H.  and  Mrs.  Lee  and  their  baby, 
Frank,  from  Calcutta  to  Darjeeling  as  soon  as  it 


INTRODUCTION 

was  possible  after  the  terrible  disaster.  After 
much  walking  and  many  difficulties  in  getting 
over  the  parts  of  the  mountains  where  the  rail- 
road had  been  washed  away,  we  reached  Darjee- 
ling  early  on  Friday  morning.  Wilbur,  the  one 
boy  of  the  family  who  had  been  picked  up  alive 
after  the  disaster,  was  in  the  hospital  and  there 
was  some  hope  for  recovery.  Almost  imme- 
diately after  his  mother's  arrival  he  begged  the 
privilege  of  telling  the  story  of  the  disaster,  the 
mother  urging  him  to  wait  until  he  was  feeling 
better,  but  he  insisted  on  telling  it  at  once.  Shortly 
after  the  story  was-  told  he  was  taken  with  te- 
tanus. If  he  had  not  told  it  that  day,  to  the  great 
loss  of  the  Christian  world,  it  never  would  have 
been-told.  His  sufferings  all  day  Saturday,  Sat- 
urday night,  Sunday,  and  Sunday  night  were 
heartrending  for  those  who  waited  by  him  with 
the  helpless  parents.  On  toward  midnight  Sun- 
day, J.  Campbell  White,  and  myself  were  waiting 
with  the  distressed  parents.  Mrs.  Lee  had  not 
slept  since  her  arrival  on  Friday  morning,  and 
was  almost  exhausted.  After  all  hope  of  Wilbur's 
recovery  was  gone  we  persuaded  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Lee  to  go  into  an  adjoining  room  and  rest,  with 
the  promise  that  we  would  call  them  when  the 
end  came.  A  more  crushed  and  heart-broken 
couple  could  not  easily  be  imagined  than  those 
bereaved  parents  were  as  we  saw  them  go  out  of 
that  room  for  rest.  This  was  about  midnight, 
about  half-past  two  in  the  morning  the  end  was 
drawing  near,  and  I  went  to  call  them,  but  when 


INTRODUCTION 

Sister  Lee  reentered  the  dying-room  the  verv 
form  of  her  visage  was  changed.  Her  face  was 
radiant  with  a  light  from  another  world,  and  she 
told  us  that  while  lying  in  the  room  there  came 
to  her  a  heavenly  vision.  She  saw  heaven's 
glories  and  the  lieavenly  throne,  and  the  other 
five  children  come  ont  in  glorified  glory  to  meet, 
greet  and  embrace  Wilbur  and  escort  him  into  the 
heavenly  home.  With  the  vision  there  was  given 
her  a  spiritual  illumination  that  seemed  to  lift  her 
so  far  above  her  unspeakable  sorrow  that  she  was 
really  in  spirit  dwelling  with  her  children  in 
heavenly  palaces.  I  look  back  to  that  awful  night 
and  that  manifestation  of  abundant  grace  as  the 
greatest  fulfillment  of  the  promise  "^ly  grace  is 
sufficient"  that  I  have  ever  been  privileged  to  wit- 
ness. The  losing  of  Wilbur,  the  last  of  the  six 
children  who  went  down  in  that  disaster,  was  a 
sorrow  calling  for  superhuman  comfort,  and  the 
grace  manifested  was  sufficient  for  the  almost 
incomparable  emergency.  My  faith  was  marvel- 
ously  strengthened  as  I  witnessed  the  consoling 
power  of  grace  sufficient. 

I  most  sincerely  believe  that  the  reading  of  the 
story  of  the  translated  Lee  children — will  be  very 
helpful  to  the  family  life  of  the  Christian  world, 
and  I  heartily  commend  the  reading  of  this  book 
to  parents  and  children  throughout  the  nations. 

Frank  W.  Warne. 

Bishop,  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  in  India. 


"God  holds  the  key  of  all  unknown, 

And   I   am  glad ; 
If  other  hands  should  hold  the  key, 
Or  if  He  trusted  it  to  me, 

I  might  be  sad. 

"I  cannot  read  His  future  plans ; 

But   this   I   know : 
I  have  the  smiling  of  His  face. 
And  all  the  refuge  of  His  grace, 

While  here  below."  — /.  P. 


The  Darjeeling  Disaster. 

CHAPTER  I. 

On  September  24,  1899,  in  the  landslide  at 
Darjeeling,  God  called  upon  us  to  return  to  Him 
the  jewels  He  had  loaned  us;  and  took  away 
that  which  was  dearer  to  us  than  all  the  world 
besides — our  six  precious  children. 

The  motive  which  prompts  the  sending  out  of 
this  little  volume  is  the  same  that  led  us  to  write 
a  sketch  of  their  lives  in  the  first  place,  viz.,  a  de- 
sire to  extend,  as  long  as  possible,  the  influence 
of  their  lives  in  the  earth,  hoping  that  other 
young  people  through  reading  of  them,  may  be 
led  to  ''seek  first  the  kingdom  of  God  and  his 
righteousness ;"  and  that  other  parents  may,  with 
God's  blessing,  be  helped  to  realize  their  won- 
drous privileges  and  awful  responsibilities  be- 
fore the  golden  days  of  opportunity  are  gone 
forever. 

We  also  desire,  through  this  little  book,  to  be 
used,  if  possible,  in  comforting  those  who,  like 
us,  have  had  the  heart-breaking  sorrow  of  giving 
up  their  little  ones,  by  the  comfort  wherewith 
God  in  His  mercy  has,  and  continues  to  com- 
fort us.  We  are  encouraged  to  publish  this,  be- 
cause several  thousand  of  the  first  edition,  edited 
by  Bishop  Warne,  under  the  title  "The  Darjeel- 
ing Disaster — Its   Bright  Side,"  have  gone  out 

9 


10  THn  DARjnnUNG  DISASTER 

into  the  world;  also  another  edition,  entitled 
^'Seven  Heroic  Children,"  gotten  out  by  Morgan 
&  Scott,  of  London,  is  nearly  exhausted,  and 
during  the  years  we  have  had  and  continue  to 
have  letters  telling  of  the  help  these  sketches, 
under  God's  blessing,  have  been  to  others — 
leading  some  to  conversion,  strengthening  oth- 
ers in  their  Christian  life,  and  comforting  many 
a  sorrowing  mother. 

The  editor  of  the  London  edition  asked  us 
why,  in  writing  the  sketch  of  Vida's  life,  we  had 
included  her  conflicts  and  sometime  failures? 
My  answer  was,  I  must  write  of  them  as  they 
really  were — a  true  story,  or  not  at  all.  These 
sketches  were  written  just  after  they  left  us, 
when  the  life  of  each  was  intensely  vivid,  when 
their  sayings  and  actions  and  affectionate  caress- 
es were  so  a  part  of  my  life,  that  I  felt  often,  I 
could  not  live  without  them. 

I  have  been  thankful  for  having  done  as  I  was 
prompted,  I  believe,  by  God's  Spirit.  As  Vida's 
struggles  and  victories  have  encouraged  and  help- 
ed many  another  who  found  it  difficult  to  live  the 
Christ-life,  and  like  her,  has  been  led  to  triumph 
by  faith  in  Jesus  to  save  and  keep.  I  wish  here 
to  testify  to  the  never-failing  grace  of  God,  which 
is  sufficient  for  any  sorrow  and  has  sustained  me 
during  the  years. 

He,  in  mercy,  spared  to  me  my  husband  and 
''Baby  Frank,"  who  helped  us  to  live  and  who 
seemed  to  think  it  his  mission  in  life  to  cheer 
and  comfort  us.     During  that  terrible  march  to 


Baby  Frank. 


INTRODUCTION  ii 

Darjeeling',  to  reach  Wilbur,  he  was  our  com- 
panion. Bishop  Warne  wrote  of  him  at  the  time 
in  the  following  words :  *'We  came  to  a  break  in 
the  railway  line  over  which  the  ponies  could  not 
pass.  We  scrambled  up  the  mountain  side  on 
our  hands  and  feet  and  then  picked  our  way 
over  boulders  and  through  slush  down  to  the 
road  again.  When  we  began  to  travel  thus,  a 
novel  and  interesting  method  was  devised  for 
carrying  'Baby  Frank.'  A  little  coolie  girl  who 
carries  bundles  on  her  back  up  the  mountains, 
was  secured,  who  had  an  inverted  cone-shaped 
basket,  which  we  cushioned  with  an  overcoat, 
and  'Baby  Frank'  sat  in  this,  with  his  laughing- 
face  above  the  brim.  Throughout  the  journey 
this  little  man  proved  himself  an  excellent  trav- 
eller, and  soothed  his  parents  with  his  smiles 
and  baby  talk.  At  this  stage  he  appeared  to  the 
best  advantage ;  for  notwithstanding  his  new  sur- 
roundings and  mode  of  conveyance,  he  was  full 
of  fun,  screaming  with  laughter,  and  kept  one 
of  us  busy  watching,  that,  in  his  dancing,  baby 
glee,  he  did  not  jump  out  of  his  basket."  Two 
years  later,  in  the  same  dark  month  of  September, 
God  gave  us  another  bright,  laughing  baby  boy — 
"Albert  the  good,"  as  a  friend  called  him.  He 
has  also  greatly  cheered  and  helped  us.  God  has 
also  given  us  numbers  of  forsaken  and  famine- 
stricken  children  to  care  for,  and  a  great  work 
to  do  for  Jesus,  which  has  given  us  no  time  to 
waste  in  thinking  of  ourselves  and  brooding  over 
our  own  sorrow. 


12  THE  DARJBEUXG  DISASTER 

God  has  raised  up  innumerable  friends,  the 
salt  of  the  earth,  who  have  faithfully  stood  by 
us  and  aided  us  in  the  work  we  love.  We  wish 
also  to  praise  Him  for  the  commodious  mission 
building  he  has  given  us — large  enough  to  house 
three  hundred  children,  and  which  furnishes  a 
comfortable  home  for  us  and  a  half  dozen  other 
missionaries.  This  building  is  called  "The  Lee 
Memorial,"  being  dedicated  to  the  memory  of 
those  dear  children  who  expected  to  work  with 
us  for  the  salvation  of  India.  They  are  working 
with  us  and  seem  very  near  to  us,  and  maybe 
have  accomplished  more  for  Christ  on  the  earth, 
in  the  higher  service,  than  if  their  lives  had  been 
spared. 

God  has  also  given  us  those  wdio  faithfully 
work  with  us  for  the  salvation  of  the  people  of 
India,  and  who  have  done  much  to  comfort  us  in 
our  home  life.  So  we  can  say  from  our  hearts : 
there  has  not  failed  one  w^ord  of  His  good  prom- 
ises. We  still  go  forward,  our  faces  toward  the 
''Morning  Land,"  knowing  that  ''there  we  will 
understand,"  and  will  prove  that  it  was  for  some 
great  purpose  that  He  took  our  darlings  and 
that  it  was  best.  "I  know  whom  I  have  believed 
and  am  persuaded  that  he  is  able  to  keep  that 
which  I  have  committed  unto  him  against  that 
day." 

"God  knows  the  way  He  holds  the  key, 
He  guides  us  with  unerring  hand ; 
Sometimes  with  tearless  eyes  we'll  see ; 
Yes,  there,  up  there,  we'll  understand." 


CHAPTER  II. 
ViDA  Maud. 

In  the  clear  morning  of  that  other  country 

In  paradise 
With  the  same  face  that  we  have  loved  and  cherished 

She  shall  arise. 

Let  us  be  patient  we  who  mourn,  with  weeping, 

Her  vanished  face. 
The  Lord  has  taken  but  to  add  more  beauty 

And  a  diviner  grace. 

And  we  shall  find  once  more  beyond  earth's  sorrows 

Beyond  those  skies. 
In  the  fair  city  of  the  sure  foundation 

These  heavenly  eyes. 

The  name  of  our  first  born,  Vida  Maud,  would 
have  been  David  had  she  been  a  boy.  A  friend 
suggested  the  feminine  of  David,  which  is  Vida, 
so  her  name  is  that  of  her  father's,  and  the  pro- 
nunciation suggests  the  country  of  her  birth — 
the  Land  of  the  Vedas.  She  opened  her  eyes 
first  in  a  little  rnud  cottage  in  the  beautiful  city 
of  Bangalore,  July  26,  1882.  She  was  dedicated 
to  God  at  her  birth,  and  again  publicly  in  bap- 
tism, September  10,  the  Rev.  Ira  A.  Richards 
officiating. 

She  went  to  America  with  her  parents, — her 
father  being  very  ill, — starting  when  only  seven 

13 


14  THE  DARJBELING  DISASTER 

months  old,  by  sailing  vessel.  The  moon  and  the 
stars  and  the  sea-birds  were  her  first  friends,  in 
all  of  which  she  took  a  lively  interest.  After 
nearly  four  months  on  board  she  landed  in  the 
noisy  bustle  of  New  York  City,  which  so  fright- 
ened and  bewildered  her  that  she  never  was 
happy  while  there  excepting  the  day  we  returned 
to  the  ship  where  she  saw  her  friends,  the  sail- 
ors, and  the  only  home  she  knew — the  dear  old 
vessel  which  had  brought  her  safely  through 
many  a  storm. 

She  began  her  missionary  work  in  travelling 
from  place  to  place  with  her  father  and  mother 
while  they  were  speaking  on  India.  After  a  few 
months  she  settled  down  as  a  preacher's  baby, 
who  is  usually  the  centre  of  much  loving  atten- 
tion and  kind  thought. 

When  only  three  years  old  her  grandfather, 
who  lived  with  us,  and  of  whom  she  was  very 
fond,  died.  As  the  funeral  passed  out  of  the 
church  and  she  saw  her  grandma  leaning  on  her 
father's  arm  weeping,  she  ran  up  to  her,  and 
catching  her  by  the  dress,  called  out,  "Don't  cry, 
grandma,  Vida  will  take  care  of  you  now."  Her 
little  heart  was  almost  broken  to  see  her  grand- 
ma's grief.  • 

PVom  infancy  she  was  a  child  very  difficult  to 
control.  One  of  strong  passion,  with  a  temper 
beyond  any  power  to  subdue,  and  yet  a  child 
with  a  most  affectionate  nature  and  of  sterling- 
honesty.  She  hated  falsehood  and  deception  with 
all  the  powers  of  her  being. 


VIDA   MAUD  15 

Many  times  we  knew  not  what  to  do,,  and 
confessed  our  inability  to  guide  and  control  this 
strange  child,  and  earnestly  prayed  for  the  day 
when  Vida  should  find  Jesus  and  the  new  nature 
He  alone  could  impart.  This  was  constantly 
kept  before  her,  and  she,  too,  became  desperate 
about  herself,  and  often  sought  earnestly.  That 
blessed  day  came,  and  she  was  converted  at  a 
camp  meeting  held  at  Mountain  Lake  Park, 
Maryland,  July  2,  1893,  when  eleven  years  old. 

She  and  her  sister  Lois,  two  years  younger, 
at  an  invitation  for  seekers,  knelt  at  the  altar  to- 
gether. The  first  meeting  closed  without  her 
getting  into  the  light.  She  came  home  deeply 
convicted  of  sin,  and  after  prayer  together  and 
a  bit  of  instruction  she  returned  to  the  afternoon 
service  and  again  went  to  the  altar.  She  was 
brightly  converted,  and  testified  before  a  large 
audience  to  Jesus'  saving  power.  Her  face 
beamed  with  joy,  and  many  hearts  were  moved 
by  her  sweet,  childish  testimony.  She  was  a 
changed  girl  from  that  time,  although  she  had 
much  to  contend  with,  and  it  was  no  easy  thing; 
for  her  to  live  out  her  high  ideal  of  what  a 
Christian  life  should  be. 

vShortly  after  this,  in  a  holiness  meeting,  she 
sought  definitely  for  the  blessing  of  sanctification, 
and  no  one  who  knew  her  ever  doubted  her 
receiving  it.  Her  joyous,  childish  simplicity  in 
it  only  made  her  a  greater  blessing  to  others. 
She  did  not  always  retain  this  blessed  experience, 
but  she  was  never  satisfied  without  it. 


i6  THE  DARJEELIXG  DISASTER 

A  young  man,  a  backslider,  came  to  that  con- 
vention 50  dejected  that  he  was  almost  in  despair 
and  ready  to  take  his  own  life.  He  was  a  per- 
fect stranger,  but  the  child  noticed  his  sad,  hope- 
less face,  and  went  to  him  with  so  much  joy  that 
the  man  was  overpowered  by  her  influence. 

"You  look  so  sad."  she  said :  "it's  because  you 
want  Jesus.    Come  along  with  me  and  find  Him." 

He  went  forward  as  a  seeker,  and  never  left 
the  place  of  prayer  until  he  too  was  happy  in 
Jesus.  He  wrote  of  this  to  us  after  our  return 
to  India,  saying  he  could  not  resist  her,  and  that 
he  felt  she  had  been  the  means  of  his  salvation. 

She  went  to  school  but  little  in  America,  and 
found  it  difficult  to  get  along  with  her  studies, 
but  being  desirous  of  having  a  good  education, 
she  became  a  persevering  student.  She  was  spe- 
cially fond  of  history  and  mathematics.  She 
was  also  a  great  lover  of  the  beautiful  in  nature 
as  well  as  in  character.  Flowers  and  ferns  were 
her  delight;  buttercups,  daisies  and  wild  flowers 
being  special  favorites.  She  had  a  passion  for 
music  and  motion,  and  had  she  been  thrown  into 
such  surroundings  in  her  younger  years  she 
might  have  been  led  away  by  gaiety,  dancing 
and  dress. 

She  was  a  splendid  letter  writer  for  one  of 
her  age,  and  could  write  most  interesting  letters. 

At  twelve  years  of  age  she  returned  to  India 
with  her  parents  and  soon  entered  on  her  school 
duties  with  a  persistency  which  showed  that  she 
would  win  in  the  end.     She  had  dedicated  herself 


VIDA  MAUD  17 

to  God  for  mission  work,  so  took  up  the  study  of 
the  BengaH  language,  and  living  with  the  Bengali 
girls  in  our  school  she  soon  understood  and 
spoke  it  very  well.  She  was  also  able  to  read  and 
write  it.  For  a  year  she  had  been  helping  in 
mission  work. 

She  had  been  conducting  a  native  Sunday- 
school,  taking  two  of  our  Bengali  girls  with  her 
to  help  in  teaching  the  children.  After  the  Sun- 
day-school she  would  go  into  the  homes  among 
the  women  and  talk  and  sing  with  them.  Her 
Sunday-school  numbered  seventy-five  children. 
She  loved  the  children  and  women  very  much. 
They  afterward  gathered  around  and  asked  for 
her,  and  wondered  why  she  did  not  come  to  them. 
She  also  helped  me  in  the  prayer-meetings  among 
the  girls,  and  we  had  looked  forward  to  her  help 
in  after  years.  She,  at  her  own  request,  had  been 
appointed  the  Sabbath-school  superintendent  for 
the  next  year.    How  can  we  do  without  her ! 

The  following  is  an  extract  from  an  unfinished 
letter  written  to  a  friend  in  America  which  we 
found  in  her  writing  desk : 

"I  am  vice-president  of  our  Epworth  League 
and  head  of  the  Spiritual  Department  and  work- 
ing for  the  conversion  of  the  young  people. 

''I  know  I  am  right  with  God  myself,  and  do 
want  others  to  feel  the  sweet  peace  I  have  in 
following  Christ.  There  are  very  few  young- 
people  who  profess  the  baptism  of  the  Holy 
Ghost.     There  are  a  good  many  converted,  but 


i8  THE  DARJBBLING  DISASTER 

they  don't  know  that  there  is  a  higher  life  for 
them. 

''I  was  talking  of  our  English  girls,  but  there 
are  several  of  the  girls  in  mamma's  school  (na- 
tive girls)  who  have  found  that  place  in  Jesus. 

''I  do  want  to  tell  you  about  a  little  Sunday- 
school  which  mamma  opened  away  out  in  a 
village  where  the  people  are  very  poor.  I  call 
this  my  Sunday-school.  I  go  there  now  on  Sun- 
days. First,  we  open  with  a  hymn ;  and  you 
should  hear  those  dear  children  try  to  join  us, 
one  making  awful  faces,  another  holding  the 
notes  too  long  in  one  place  and  racing  in  another 
place,  while  most  all  are  flat;  but  it  is  so  touch- 
ing. They  are  all  little  boys  and  girls,  some  with 
only  a  little  cloth  tied  about  their  waists.  We 
then  have  prayer,  and  it  is  pretty  hard  to  keep 
their  little  tongues  quiet  and  their  eyes  shut.  I 
take  two  Bengali  girls  with  me ;  then  two  boys 
from  the  boys'  school  come  and  help  us. 

''After  the  prayers  we  have  the  lesson ;  then 
the  children  receive  a  picture  card.  We  use  hun- 
dreds of  picture  cards  every  year — what  a  pity 
so  many  are  lying  unused  in  people's  drawers  at 
home. 

''While  Sunday-school  is  going  on  I  take  one 
of  the  girls  and  go  to  visit  the  zenanas  where  we 
meet  such  nice  hos  (young  wives),  and  we  sing 
and  give  them  the  lesson  also.  It  is  so  nice,  but 
I  feel  very  sorry  for  the  poor  people,  and  wish 
that  I  could  help  them." 

Vida  was  an  earnest  Bible  student, — read  her 


VIDA  MAUD  19 

Bible  from  real  enjoyment  of  it.  She  often  read 
it  as  some  girls  read  novels, — sitting  down  and 
finishing  a  whole  book  without  putting  it  aside. 

She  at  other  times  carried  out  prescribed  plans 
for  Bible  study ;  was  always  anxious  to  attend 
Bible  readings,  working  out  subjects  suggested, 
and  had  many  verses  memorized  and  their  places 
fixed.  The  most  enjoyable  hour  of  the  day  of 
late  years  has  been  the  evening  hour,  spent  with 
the  other  members  of  the  family  in  music,  and  in 
calling  up  old  texts  and  learning  new  ones.  Vida 
played  the  violin,  but  her  special  instrument  was 
the  guitar.  She  played  sweetly,  often  accompa- 
nying with  her  voice,  which  was  so  adapted  to 
its  soft  music. 

Her  sister  Lois  was  the  organist ;  and  the  two 
boys  with  their  violins,  together  with  Vida  and 
Lois  with  their  instruments,  often  formed  a  quar- 
tette whose  home  concerts  made  the  evenings  a 
delight.  Now  there  is  a  blank  in  our  home 
which  can  never  again  be  filled.  How  perfectly 
they  must  play  and  sing  together  now !  The 
piece  which  Vida  and  Lois  often  sang  together, 
Lois  singing  the  alto,  was: 

"In  our  Father's  blessed  keeping 

I  am  happy,  safe  and  free : 
While  His  eye  is  on  the  sparrow 
I  shall  not  forgotten  be." 

Vida's  plaintive  soprano  rings  in  our  ears  yet. 
They  all  sang  together  so  often,  "Behold  the 
Bridegroom  comes,  be  ready,"  "When  the  Roll 


20  THE  DARJHBLING  DISASTER 

is  called  up  yonder  I'll  be  there,"  these  being  the 
favorites  of  the  boys.  A  favorite,  and  one  sung 
so  much  during  the  past  year,  was,  ''Peace,  Per- 
fect Peace,"  and  "There'll  be  no  dark  valley 
when  Jesus  comes,"  and  ''We'll  never  say  good- 
by  in  Heaven." 

Oh,  those  darling  children !  How  can  we  ever 
do  without  them !  Some  days  the  dreadful  si- 
lence seems  unbearable ;  but  in  the  morning  we 
will  have  them  all  again,  praise  His  name. 

For  the  encouragement  of  others  trying  to 
overcome  evil  dispositions  and  to  live  a  true 
Christian  life,  there  are  many  things  in  Vida's 
diary  which  should  be  known.  In  her  diary  for 
1896;  three  years  before  she  left  us,  she  had 
written : 

April  1st.  "Had  a  nice  talk  with  mamma.  I 
am  going  to  try  to  be  a  better  girl  and  let  my 
light  shine. — 'Let  your  light  so  shine  before  men 
that  they  may  see  your  good  works.'  " 

May  5.  "I  solemnly  promise,  with  God's  help, 
to  never  speak  another  unkind  word  as  long  as 
I  live.  People  may  think  it  impossible,  but  I  do 
believe  with  all  my  heart  what  God  says :  'Things 
which  are  impossible  with  man  are  possible  with 
God,'  so  I  go  to  Him.  .  .  .God  helping  me  I  try. 
V.  Lee." 

Underneath  we  find  the  word  "Broken"  un- 
derscored. 

July  2nd,  this  year,  1896,  we  find  the  words, 
"Three  years  ago  to-day  I  was  converted."  An- 
other entry  on  July  4th,  shows  her  playfulness : 


VIDA   MAUD  ?i 

**I  received  such  a  nice  little  dolly,  only  two 
inches  long.  I  don't  know  what  to  name  her, 
Lois  is  her  godmother." 

I  find  in  the  back  of  her  diary  a  little  play  for 
the  youngest  children,  Ada  and  Esther.  She 
evidently  said  to  them  sometime. 

Ada  is — ^My  honey, — violet-bud, — rosie-bud 

Ink-pot, — duck-pie, — curly-burly, — Pearly, — Pussy-cat : 

Esther  is, — Vida's  Dumpling — Daisy-bud 
Honey-suckle, — lily-bud, — chika-biddy, 
Ranee, — darling*, — lovie-dovie, — pigeon'-pie, — mieti. 

So  often  she  speaks  of  having  been  naughty 
during  the  day,  and  being  so  troubled  about  it. 
She  comes  away  and  seeks  pardon,  and  can  not 
rest  until  she  has  obtained  peace. 

Sunday,  August  i6.  "I  got  a  blessing  this 
evening;  I  had  a  great  treat — a  nice  talk  with 
mamma,  which  I  hardly  ever  get.  I  am  going  to 
be  a  better  girl." 

If  mothers  only  took  more  time  for  confidential 
talks  with  their  boys  and  girls,  how  much  trouble 
it  would  save.  Some  of  us  would  give  worlds  for 
the  blessed  opportunity  again.  We  would  make 
more  use  of  it  than  ever  before. 

Her  diary  for  the  year  1897  could  not  be  found. 

Her  text  for  the  year  1898  was,  "He  that  rul- 
eth  his  own  spirit  is  better  than  he  that  taketh  a 
city,"  and  all  throughout  the  year  her  struggle 
to  live  out  that  text  was  most  heroic,  as  many 
entries  show. 


22  THE  DARJEBLING  DISASTER 

February  i8.  ''I  am  afraid  I  am  not  getting 
along  as  nicely  as  before.  I  am  naughty  again 
....  I  feel  very  bad  because  I  have  not  read  my 
Bible.  I  believe  that  I  can  not  be  good  without 
my  'morning  watch.'  " 

Sunday,  April  lo.  "I  did  something  against 
my  conscience ;  I  read  some  in  the  book,  'Out  to 
the  Wilds.'  I  felt  bad,  but  had  a  real  nice  talk 
with  mamma  on  2  Thess.  3:3:  'The  Lord  is  faith- 
ful who  shall  stablish  you  and  keep  you  from 
evil.'  I  John  1:9:  'If  we- confess, — He  is  just 
to  forgive.  .  .  .and  cleanses  me  from  all  unright- 
eousness.' " 

April  II.  "God  has  kept  me  to-day,  except 
once  I  scolded  mamma  about  giving  Esther  rhu- 
barb." 

April  14.  "Had  my  'morning  watch,'  and  was 
the  only  girl  in  the  class  who  had  her  physiology 
lesson.  Mamma  is  so  szveet.  Read  to-day  Josh. 
9,  10,  II,  12,  13,  14  chapters." 

April  15.  "I  am  longing  for  a  talk  with 
mamma.  I  was  helped  by  reading  about  His  care 
for  his  people,  Luke  14th  chapter." 

April  21.  "Lots  of  lessons.  I  did  not  go  for 
a  drive,  but  stayed  at  home  to  pray  and  talk  with 
Jesus.  I  got  a  blessing.  I  had  spoken  cross  to 
mamma  about  my  dress.  I  read  three  chapters 
of  Peter,  and  nine  chapters  of  Joshua." 

April  29.     "Miss  C ,  my  teacher,  is  very 

nice.     I  played  my  guitar  at  literary  society." 

May  I.    "The  last  Sunday  before  going  to  the 


VIDA   MAUD  23 

hills.  Mr.  Warne  preached  a  nice  sermon,  and 
I  said  good-by  to  friends." 

May  2.  "Started  for  Sonada  to-day.  Miss 
Gardner  gave  us  a  nice  box  of  sweets,  cake,  etc." 

May  3.  "Very  sick  while  in  the  sleeper  and 
coming  up  the  hills ;  but  our  verse  which  we  took 
for  the  journey,  was,  *In  everything  give  thanks.' 
It  did  not  rain,  and  Mrs.  B had  a  nice  din- 
ner for  us." 

The  following  shows  her  taste  for  reading: 

"Started  to  read  'Quixote.'  I  would  rather 
have  a  history  book ;  but  shall  read  my  Bible  first 
always." 

Sunday,  May  15.  "I  wished  to  read  all  of 
Second  Samuel  to-day,  but  read  from  the  first 
chapter  to  the  twentieth.  Oh,  I  do  want  to  be 
God's  child !" 

May  19.  "Had  a  long  walk  of  about  two  and 
a  half  miles.  Dr.  Mulford  sent  word  to  us  to 
keep  on  pads*  (spiritual  pads)  and  'keep  hips 
back'  (physically).  I  read  First  Kings  from  the 
seventh  to  the  seventeenth  chapters.  I  feel  Jesus' 
presence." 

May  20.  "I  was  not  very  happy  to-day  because 
I  did  not  read  God's  Word  and  did  not  talk  to 
God.     In  the  evening  I  practiced  my  guitar." 

Sunday  night.  May  22.  "I  read  Second  Kings, 
the  first  fourteen  chapters.  I  do  want  to  be  a 
good  girl  to-morrow.  I  do  not  feel  at  all  good 
or   comfortable   and   peaceful,   but   all   bad   and 


*  Referring  to  pads  used  in  cricket. 


24  THE  DARJBBLING  DISASTER 

mean  and  unhappy  without  Jesus.  I  won't  go  to 
sleep  before  I  get  blessed." 

May  25.  "Read  eight  chapters  in  Second 
Kings.  Mamma  sang,  'Oh  my  Redeemer,'  while 
I  played  the  accompaniment  on  the  guitar.  We 
are  reading  'Uncle  Tom's  Cabin.'  " 

May  27.  '1  wrote  to  Grandma  Jones  and 
Cousin  Eddie.  I  am  not  very  happy ;  did  not  do 
just  right.  Oh  !  that  I  were  in  the  'secret  place.'  " 
She  speaks  of  this  so  often. 

Again,  on  Sunday,  May  29 :  ''I  do  want  to  get 
into  the  'secret  place.'  Read  Psalms  i8th  to  36th 
and  First  Corinthians  i8th  to  29th  chapters  [19 
Psalms  and  12  chapters  in  one  day].  I  did  not 
go  to  sleep  in  the  afternoon,  but  read  instead." 

Sunday,  June  5.  ''We  had  a  nice  little  meet- 
ing (at  home).  I  do  wish  I  was  in  the  'secret 
place'  and  had  a  real  strong  Christian  character. 
Went  for  a  long  walk  in  the  morning,  and  read 
the  Songs  of  Solomon  and  five  chapters  in  John." 

Tuesday,  June  7.  "I  did  not  have  a  nice  day. 
Mamma  feels  heartbroken  about  Lois  and  I  dis- 
agreeing. I  am  sick  of  myself.  Read  six  Psalms, 
from  the  thirty-eighth  to  the  forty-third." 

June  8.  "Lois  taken  ill.  She  was  caught  in 
the  rain.  Mamma  is  so  sweet.  She  says  that  she 
believes  God  will  answer  her  prayer  and  save 
me." 

June  12.  "I  started  a  few  days  ago  the  study 
of  the  Kings.  It's  very  interesting.  I  have  lost 
Mr.  Campbell  White's  Bible  reading  on  'Personal 


VI DA   MAUD  25 

Work.'  I  do  feel  so  badly  about  it.  I  do  hope 
that  Jesus  will  show  it  to  me.     (I  found  it.)" 

This  last  entry  shows  her  habit  of  taking  ev- 
erything to  God  in  prayer  and  expecting  an  an- 
swer. Prayer  during  that  terrible  night  of  the 
landslip,  was  not  just  forced  by  the  fearful  occa- 
sion ;  it  was  the  habit  of  her  life.  She  knew 
what  it  was  to  turn  to  God  about  everything. 

During  this  month  of  June,  1898,  she  seemed 
to  have  one  of  the  greatest  conflicts  of  her  life. 
Satan  seemed  to  beset  her  on  every  side.  I,  in 
trying  to  bring  it  to  a  crisis,  told  her  that  her 
spiritual  condition  was  alarming,  as  the  follow- 
ing entry  shows :  ''Mamma  said  if  I  died  to- 
night she  did  not  think  I  would  go  to  heaven.  I 
am  feeling  badly.  Read  Ezra  from  chapter  sec- 
ond to  the  end  of  the  book.  I  will  try  again 
with  God's  help." 

The  next  day  she  writes,  "I  made  a  spiritual 
pad  for  myself.  I  was  a  much  better  girl  to-day, 
through  Jesus  only.     Mamma  said  so,  too." 

June  18.  "Mamma  is  so  sweet  to-day.  I 
played  my  guitar.  Papa  still  very  sick.  I  do 
hope  he  will  get  well  very  soon." 

Sunday,  June  19.  ''Papa  is  better.  Started 
Christian's  journey  in  'Pilgrim's  Progress.'  Had 
a  great  victory  to-day.  I  feel  so  happy  to-night. 
I  am  reading  Job." 

June  21.  "We  had  a  'state  dinner'  for  mamma 
and  papa  (play),  and  a  home  entertainment  aft- 
erwards. Had  my  geography  lesson,  but  I  did 
not  have  my  'watch  and  pray'  to-day,  so  I  do  not 


26  THE  DARJBBUXG  DISASTER 

feel  so  happy.  Read  Proverbs,  first  five  chap- 
ters." 

June  22.  "I  went  to  see  the  Bengali  women. 
We  are  reading  'James  Garfield.'  We  are  trying 
how  many  new  words  we  can  get  from  this  new 
book.     Read  to-day  eighth  chapter  of  Proverbs." 

June  26.  "I  wish  I  had  not  played  train  to- 
day with  the  boys.  I  did  not  get  a  real  blessing, 
so  am  not  happy.  Mamma  promises  me  a  gold 
mohur  when  I  can  play  my  guitar  book  through." 

The  above  shows  how  tender  her  conscience 
was,  and  how  she  looked  daily  for  special  bless- 
ings. This  she  felt  she  missed  by  taking  part  in 
some  game  she  felt  not  suited  for  Sunday.  How 
many  of  us  are  content  to  miss  the  blessing  which 
comes  from  communion  with  God  and  spend  our 
time  on  Sunday  in  a  trifling  way,  if  not  in  out- 
and-out  worldly  amusements,  or  in  otherwise 
violating  the  day. 

June  27,  Monday.  "I  wish  I  was  hid  in  the 
'secret  place.'    I  do  not  feel  safe  out  of  it." 

June  30.  ''Mamma  went  to  Calcutta  to-day. 
I  fixed  all  the  children's  clothes.  I  feel  happy  to- 
night.    I  want  to  do  right." 

July  I.  "I  bathed  the  children  and  looked 
after  home.  Papa  said,  mamma  would  be  de- 
lighted." 

Sunday,  July  3.  "I  did  not  take  time  to  read 
my  Bible  during  the  day,  but  to-night  read  the 
twelfth  chapter  of  Isaiah.  I  never  saw  the  sec- 
ond verse  as  I  do  now:  'Behold  God  is  my  sal- 
vation.    I  will  trust  and  not  be  afraid.     Jehovah 


VIDA   MAUD  27 

is  my  strength  and  my  song.'  'My  Song' — so  I 
can  be  happy  if  I  have  Him." 

Oh !  if  we  could  all  learn  this  secret  which  our 
dear  girl  had  learned ;  i.  e.,  that  our  happiness  is 
in  Him,  not  in  the  world,  nor  in  worldly  things. 

July  8.  "Mamma  wrote  that  she  laughed  over 
my  letter  as  much  as  she  did  about  Wilbur's 
slipping  over  the  pony's  head  the  day  we  went  to 
C .  I  played  'Blue  Bells  of  Scotland'  per- 
fectly, and  walked  nearly  three  miles." 

July  12.  "I  am  not  very  happy  because  the 
house  is  not  very  tidy,  and  I  know  papa  does 
not  like  it.    I  am  a  real  naughty  girl." 

July  21.     "I  weigh  130  pounds." 

July  31,  Sunday.  ''We  are  back  in  Calcutta. 
Mr.  Campbell  White  preached  one  of  his  beau- 
tiful sermons  in  the  morning.  He  said,  "We 
each  have  499  souls  to  save  in  India  alone." 

Sept.  18,  Sunday.  "Mr.  Warne  preached  a 
sermon  on  Holiness.     I  do  not  feel  as  if  I  was 

holy   enough   by   far.      Mr.    B died,   and    I 

spent  the  day  and  night  with  his  daughter  A." 

Sept.  26.  "Test  examination  again  to-day. 
My  verse  *He  will  bring  all  things  to  your  re- 
membrance.'   I  do  hope  I  will  pass." 

She  did  pass ;  also  -passed  her  eighth  standard 
in  the  final  examination,  to  her  great  delight. 
This  year  she  was  taking  the  two  years'  course 
of  high  school  examination  in  the  one,  and  had 
set  her  heart  on  passing  the  "high  school"  in 
November,  1899,  and  the  Entrance  Examination 
of  the  Calcutta  University  the  following  March. 


28  THE  DARJBBLING  DISASTER 

Vida  from  her  childhood  always  had  special 
love  for  old  people.  She  liked  to  be  with  them, 
and  in  nearly  every  place  we  have  had  a  home, 
she  has  had  some  old,  blind  or  helpless  person 
whom  she  visited  regularly.  When  only  five 
years  old  there  was  a  crippled  saint  of  His,  to 
whom  she  and  Lois  used  to  carry  their  little  bas- 
ket of  fruit,  or  flowers,  or  some  other  dainty, 
regularly.  When  only  ten  years  old  she  used  to 
take  her  Testament  every  Sunday  afternoon  and 
go  over  and  read  to  an  old  blind  lady. 

Many  of  these  old  friends,  we  believe,  gave 
them  a  warm  welcome  that  night  when  the  an- 
gels carried  them  through  the  gates  of  heaven. 
She  was  anxious  that  her  old  friend  in  Calcutta 
might  be  visited  while  she  was  away. 

We  all  went  to  Darjeeling  together,  May  ist, 
this  year  (1899),  after  much  prayer  about  the 
selection  of  the  house,  and  when  we  saw  the 
beautiful  two-storied  building  covered  with  ivy 
and  surrounded  with  lovely  flowers,  we  thanked 
God  for  selecting  us  such  a  beautiful  place. 

As  we  rejoiced  over  it,  how  little  we  thought 
it  was  to  be  our  darlings'  tomb,  and  that  with  this 
beautiful  spot  should  perish  our  happy  earthly 
home  with  so  many  of  its  delights. 

During  the  two  months  we  remained  Vida 
seemed  to  grow  more  affectionate  and  cling  to 
her  mother,  and  so  much  of  the  time  wished  to 
be  with  me. 

About  two  weeks  before  I  returned  to  Cal- 
cutta she  seemed  so  disturbed  about  herself,  be- 


VI DA   MAUD  29 

cause  she  sometimes  spoke  impatiently  and  un- 
kindly to  the  others. 

One  day  she  said,  "Mamma,  I  feel  I  must  get 
the  victory  over  this  habit,  or  I  fear  I  will  lose 
my  religion.  I  must  get  back  that  blessing  I 
once  had,  of  full  salvation,  or  I  fear  I  will  lose 
all." 

I  said,  ''Yes,  Vida,  you  must  get  a  victory  or 
your  life  will  be  ruined.  Why  not  get  it  to- 
day?"      • 

It  was  Sunday,  and  neither  she  nor  I  were 
very  well,  so,  while  the  others  went  to  church, 
we  got  our  Bibles  and  had  a  blessed  search  to- 
gether. 

After  selecting  a  number  of  His  promises  on 
which  to  lean,  we  got  down  before  Him  and 
poured  out  our  hearts  to  Him.  We  together 
sought  for  the  fullness  of  His  love. 

Oh !  that  blessed  hour  together.  I  fear  I  did 
not  fully  realize  all  it  meant.  As  we  finished, 
I  said,  ''Vida,  dear,  do  you  take  your  Saviour  in 
all  His  fullness  and  trust  Him  to  keep  you  at 
all  times?" 

"Yes,  mamma,  I  do.  I  trust  never  to  let  go  of 
Him  again." 

She  arose  so  comforted  and  threw  her  arms 
about  me,  calling  me  her  "sweet  little  mamma" 
(for  she  was  so  much  taller  than  I  and  bigger  in 
every  way  that  of  late  this  had  become  a  favor- 
ite expression  of  hers — "my  little  mamma"), 
pressing  her  cheek  to  mine  with  a  caress  I  shall 
never  forget. 


30  THE  DARJEBLING  DISASTER 

The  next  three  weeks,  which  were  my  last  with 
them,  she  was  gentle  and  loving,  and  so  helpful 
in  every  way  that  the  joy  of  those  days  will  linger 
until  I  clasp  that  dear,  brave  girl  in  my  arms 
again  in  the  Homeland. 

After  much  prayer  we  decided  that  it  was 
best  to  leave  the  children  with  Vida  while  we 
returned  to  our  work  in  Calcutta,  as  we  were 
buying  property  and  altering  the  house  there 
which  would  require  three  or  four  months. 

it  was  so  hard  for  us  to  leave  them,  but  the 
children  were  so  happy  going  to  school  together, 
and  Vida  was  so  proud  of  being  trusted  in  charge 
of  them,  and  all  were  so  sure  they  could  get  on 
nicely  together. 

I  remember  the  last  night ;  I  could  hardly 
sleep,  and  kept  praying  that  if  it  was  not  the 
right  thing  to  leave  them,  the  Lord  would  show 
us  so  plainly  we  could  not  be  mistaken.  I  decid- 
ed, should  the  Lord  send  us,  before  the  train 
left  that  morning,  a  good  cook-woman  to  stay 
with  them  night  and  day,  I  would  go ;  if  not,  I 
would  remain  until  we  could  make  other  arrange- 
ments. Next  morning  a  nice  hill  woman  came, 
and  everything  was  arranged  and  we  came  away. 

Vida  and  Lois  fixed  our  tiffin,  and  then  came 
to  the  station.  I  remember  how  erect  and  brave 
Vida  looked  as  she  bade  us  good-by  at  the  sta- 
tion, and  how  I  had  to  harden  my  heart  and  call 
up  all  the  courage  I  had,  to  leave  them. 

Many  regrets  have  since  come,  but  He  whom 
we  have  always  trusted,  Who  promises  to  lead  in 


VIDA   MAUD  31 

the  way  we  shall  go  and  to  guide  with  His  eye. 
must  have  guided  us  in  leaving  them,  and  it  was 
a  part  of  His  great  plan  to  prepare  them  for  the 
higher  work  for  which  He  felt  He  must  take 
them  at  any  cost. 

Their  papa  returned  in  August  and  spent 
three  delightful  weeks  with  them,  taking  Esther 
back ;  whom  it  seemed  advisable  to  leave  with  her 
brothers  and  sisters  until  we  got  settled.  It 
was  arranged  even  after  her  papa's  return,  to 
bring  her  down,  but  Vida  felt  it  was  so  much 
better  for  her  to  remain,  and  we  yielded.  Some- 
times we  can  hardly  bear  the  regret  for  this  de- 
cision, but  the  Lord  had  need  of  this  dear  child, 
too,  and  we  believe  we  will  understand  why  by- 
and-by. 

By-and-by  when  our  work  here  is  finished 

And  the  gates  of  the  city  appear, 
And  the  beautiful  songs  of  the  Angels 

Float  out  on  our  listening  ear. 
Wihen  all  that  now  seems  so  mysterious, 

Will  be  bright  and  as  clear  as  the  day. 
Then  the  toils  of  the  road  will  seem  nothing 

When  we  get  to  the  end  of  the  way. 


CHAPTER  III. 
Lois  Gertrude. 

She  is  not  dead — the  child  of  our  affection — 

But  gone  unto  that  school 
Where  she  no  longer  needs  our  poor  protection, 

And  Christ  himself  doth  rule. 
Day  after  day  we  think  what  she  is  doing 

In  those  bright  realms  of  air ; 
Year  after  year,  her  tender  steps  pursuing, 

Behold  her  grown  more  fair. 

— Longfello-dj. 

Lois,  "Timothy's  Grandmother,"  as  she  called 
herself — was  born  in  Freeport,  Ohio,  U.  S.  A., 
July  2,  1884,  and  was  baptized  by  our  presiding 
elder,  Dr.  E.  Hingsley,  August  10.  After  the 
dear  old  man  had  baptized  her  he  put  her  again 
in  my  arms,  saying,  ''As  Pharaoh's  daughter  said 
to  Moses'  mother,  so  the  Lord  says  to  you :  'Take 
this  child  away  and  nurse  it  for  me,  and  I  will 
give  thee  thy  wages.'  " 

From  that  moment  the  care  of  this  child  be- 
came a  sacred  trust,  a  special  work  for  God,  and 
what  a  sweet,  blessed  work  it  has  been.  How  I 
did  enjoy  that  darling  girl.  She  never  gave  me 
one  hour  of  sorrow,  not  one  moment  of  anxiety, 
in  all  the  fifteen  beautiful  years  of  her  life.  She 
was  our  joy  and  sunshine,  our  never-failing  com- 
fort. Can  it  be  possible  any  one  so  real,  so  full 
of  life,  so  a  part  of  my  life,  could  be  dead  ?  Oh, 

32 


3 


< 

Q 
> 


LOIS  GERTRUDE  zz 

I  am  so  thankful  she  is  not  dead,  only  just  crossed 
over  ahead  of  us,  and  is  living,  rejoicing,  and 
loving  us  just  the  same  to-day. 

But  the  greatest  wonder  of  all  is  that  zve  still 
live  and  she  gone.  I  had  for  a  long  time  thought 
I  could  never  part  with  her,  not  even  for  a  few 
years  to  allow  her  to  finish  her  education.  I  said 
over  and  over  again,  "It  will  kill  me  to  send  her 
home."  The  Lord  knew  He  could  not  trust  me 
to  tell  me  beforehand  what  he  intended  to  do, 
but  did  it  without  our  knowledge ;  for  our  dar- 
lings were  nearly  twenty-four  hours  in  heaven 
before  we  knew  they  had  gojie. 

How  can  I  portray  her  sweet,  beautiful  life! 
Oh  that  I  could  tell  the  half  of  what  her  life  was 
to  us ! 

She  was  unlike  any  other  child  we  had.  I 
seldom  ever  had  to  reprove  her,  and  when  it  was 
necessary,  just  the  mention  of  her  fault  was 
enough,  and  it  nearly  broke  her  heart  to  think 
she  had  done  wrong  or  had  in  any  way  displeased 
us.  Her  sister  Vida  used  to  say,  "Oh,  it's  noth- 
ing for  Lois  to  do  right ;  she  is  naturally  good ; 
but  it  means  something  when  I  succeed." 

When  our  Lois  was  a  baby,  even  then  she  wa.s 
no  trouble,  and  was  so  quiet  and  gentle.  The 
winter  she  was  a  year  and  a  half  old  I  taught  a 
Sunday-school  class.  Every  Sabbath  morning  I 
would  go  into  the  Sunday-school  room  and  find 
the  seats  arranged  for  the  class,  with  two  chairs 
side  by  side  facing  it — one  for  myself  and  one 
for  Baby  Lois.    Placing  her  in  one  she  would  sit 


34'  THE  DARJEELISG  DISASTER 

quietly  without  a  word  for  an  hour,  until  1  had 
finished  my  work ;  and  yet  she  was  anything  but 
pokey.  At  other  times  she  would  run  and  romj: 
and  play  equal  to  any  of  them. 

She  was  very  bright  and  quick  in  her  lessons 
as  a  little  girl,  and  began  the  study  of  music 
when  but  seven  years  old.  She  used  to  play  the 
organ  for  family  prayers  when  her  little  feet 
could  hardly  reach  the  pedals.  Her  music  was 
more  the  result  of  every-day  home  practice  rather 
than  constant  work  under  a  professor.  She  had 
about  three  terms  of  lessons  at  different  times 
with  the  best  professors  to  be  had,  but  it  was  the 
every-day  practice,  and  her  playing  for  prayers 
and  our  times  of  singing  in  the  evening  in  our 
home,  that  made  music  such  an  easy  thing  for 
her.  There  were  many  girls  who  had  taken  more 
lessons,  and  upon  whom  more  had  been  spent, 
who  could  not  begin  to  play  as  well, — in  fact, 
who  seemed  unable  to  play  much  sacred  music ; 
but  it  was  in  this  that  Lois  felt  at  home.  I  sav 
this  to  encourage  some  parents  who  may  regret 
not  having  the  money  to  give  their  children  a 
musical  education.  It  is  surprising  what  can  be 
done  by  oneself  in  the  home  to  stimulate  in  the 
children  a  taste  for  music,  even  though  not  a 
professional  musician. 

I  believe  we  as  parents  are  more  responsible 
for  our  children's  so-called  talents  than  we  think, 
and  our  children  are  much  more  what  we  make 
them  than  any  of  us  has  any  idea.  1  loved  music 
so  much,  though  I  had  no  special  musical  educa- 


LOIS  GHRTkUDE  35 

tion,  and  I  so  longed  for  our  children  Ic  be  musi- 
cians. I  used  to  sing  a  great  deal  myself,  avid 
each  baby  that  came  was  sung  to  sleep  night  after 
night.  But  we  were  disappointed  to  find  thai 
Vida  and  Lois  seemed  to  have  no  gift  in  that 
direction.  I  tried  to  teach  them  the  simple  child- 
song, 

"Jesus  loves  me," 

singing  it  to  them  daily,  and  having  them  re- 
peat strains  with  me,  but  they  were  neither  of" 
them  ever  able  to  carry  a  tune  until  Vida  was: 
about  nine  years  old.  At  last  they  began  to  sing; 
and  to  play,  and  how  rejoiced  we  were. 

We  had  a  desire  that  each  should  choose  andl 
learn  to  play  a  different  instrument,  and   after- 
the  two  girls  could  read  notes  they  made  their- 
choice,  Vida  taking  the  guitar  as  hers,  and  Loi.i. 
the  piano  and  organ.     We  afterwards  gave  our 
boys  each  a  violin,  and  by  keeping  them  all  at  it 
a  little  each  day  they  had  become  able  to  play  a 
number  of  pieces  together  in  such  a  way  as  to  be 
a  great  joy  to  us.     The  evening  hour  of  music 
was  my  rest  hour,  and  their  papa's  interest  in 
their  music  had  much  to  do  with  cheering  them 
on  over  the  hard  places. 

It  is  wonderful  what  an  effect  even  a  child's 
toys  will  have  in  moulding  the  child,  and  tlit' 
bent  in  life  is  often  had  from  some  familiar  ob- 
ject  €een  daily  or  used  in  childhood.  I  have 
known  instances  where  a  desire  to  go  to  sea  had 
been  kindled  in  a  boy's  heart  by  the  picture  of  a 


36  THE  DARJEEUSG  DISASTER 

ship  which  hung  on  a  wall  in  the  home;  also.,  a 
thirst  for  war  and  to  be  a  soldier,  by  pictures  ot 
battles.  If  so,  how  careful  we  should  be  in 
choosing  even  our  pictures  and  picture  books  for 
the  home. 

We  found  that  our  children  got  a  love  for  the 
Bible  in  the  same  way.  Illuminated  wall-texts 
— ver}'  beautiful  ones — were  hung  in  the  famil) 
room  for  this  purpose,  and  those  special  text> 
they  learned  before  they  could  speak  plainly, 
and  to  the  last  they  could  tell  where  each  text 
hung,  and  seemed  to  learn  to  love  it.  as  it  w^s 
associated  with  their  daily  lives. 

So,  too,  I  believe  many  children  who  may  not 
have  inherited  any  special  talent,  would  become 
beautiful  musicians  if  before  they  knew  even 
how  to  use  them  they  were  given  musical  instru- 
ments to  play  with.  The  same  might  be  said 
about  drawing  and  painting ;  also  a  love  for  read- 
ing might  be  induced  in  the  same  way. 

The  Bible  stor\-  was  the  charm  of  our  chil- 
dren's lives  and  next  to  it  was  our  music,  and 
the  helpful  books  read  to  them  before  they  were 
able  to  read  for  themselves.  What  a  responsi- 
bility- rests  upon  us  parents.  We  make  or  ruin 
our  children  by  the  use  of  the  God-given  power 
we  have  over  them.  Oh,  that  we  all  felt  more 
awake  to  this  and  taught  our  children  the  Word 
of  God  more  like  the  people  of  Israel  were  com- 
manded to  do — writing  it  on  the  posts  of  the 
house ;  '*'And  these  words  shall  be  in  thine  heart, 
and  thou   shalt  teach  them   dihgently  unto  thy 


LOIS  GERTRUDE  27 

children,  and  shalt  talk  of  them  as  thou  sitteth 
in  thine  house,  and  when  thou  walkest  by  the 
way,  and  when  thou  liest  down  and  when  thou 
riseth  up."  How  much  more  conformed  to  God's 
will  would  their  lives  be,  and  mothers  would 
have  less  cause  for  heartache. 

I  prefer  this  way,  to  that  of  giving  them  an 
education  in  worldly  things  (such  as  teaching 
them  to  dance,  that  they  might  shine  in  society, 
and  all  the  other  paraphernalia  to  prepare  them 
for  this  style  of  life.)  This  latter  way  I  consider 
most  dangerous,  and  while  some  children  may  be 
able  to  withstand  the  influence  and  yet  become 
spiritual  Christians,  I  believe  the  majority  will 
choose  the  world  instead  of  Christ,  and  by  these 
very  things  we  teach  them,  they  will  be  weak- 
ened for  life's  duties  and  totally  unprepared  for 
eternity.  My  one  regret  is  that  I  was  not  more 
alive  to  all  these  things  while  the  blessed  day  of 
opportunity  was  mine.  If  these  words  might 
only  be  used  to  stir  up  other  mothers  to  realize 
more  fully  their  responsibility  and  privilege,  I 
shall  be  thankful. 

Lois,  like  the  rest,  was  passionately  fond  of 
flowers.  When  a  wee  child  she  used  to  watch 
for  the  first  dandelions  and  white  clover.  With 
the  latter  they  used  to  weave  great  wreaths  and 
play  with  them  every  day.  Buttercups  and  dai- 
sies were  her  delight,  and  many  were  the  offer- 
ings brought  home  to  me,  and  a  bouquet  I  must 
always  wear,  pinned  on  with  her  own  hands. 
Pansies  and  chrvsanthemums  were  other  favor- 


38  The  dArjeelixc  disasthk 

ites  of  hers.  Hei'  favorite  fruit,  flOW^rSj  books 
and  songs — all  seem  to  suggest  to  lis  our  great 
loss.  Her  songs  we  feel  we  can  never  sing  with- 
out her,  and  everything  about  us  seems  changed 
because  of  her  absence. 

She  was  a  natural  elocutionist,  and  many  were 
the  home  entertainments  which  she  helped  to 
make  delightful  with  her  witty  or  touching  reci- 
tations,— one  moment  making  us  laugh  with  de- 
light, and  the  next,  cry.  If  this  talent  had  been 
specially  cultivated,  certainly  she  would  have  ex- 
celled in  it. 

She  was  a  most  tender-hearted  o:irl,  and  could 
not  bear  to  give  pain  or  see  anyone  in  distress. 
This  only  increased  as  she  grew  older.  She  was 
converted  in  July,  1893,  when  but  nine  years  old 
She  had  been  attending  a  meeting  for  children, 
at  which  her  sister  A'ida  had  given  herself  to  Je- 
sus a  few  days  before.  Lois  did  not  seem  to 
have  anything  to  repent  of,  as  we  could  see,  and 
Ave  thought  she  was  all  right ;  but  one  evening  on 
coming  in  from  some  gathering,  instead  of  find- 
ing all  the  children  asleep  as  I  had  expected,  I 
found  them  in  a  great  commotion. 

Wilbur  met  me  in  his  night-clothes,  and  said, 
'*Mamma,  what's  the  matter  with  Lois?  She 
woke  us  up  singing,  and  now  she  is  laughing 
and  crying."  I  went  to  her  room  and  found  her 
rejoicing  in  a  most  natural,  childlike  way.  She 
threw  her  arms  around  my  neck,  her  face  just 
beaming  with  the  light  of  heaven,  and  said, 
"Xow,  mamma,  I'm  ready  to  go  to  India,  or  any- 


Lois  GEKTRUDU  39 

where  God  wants  me  to  go."  From  that  time 
she  reckoned  herself  a  child  of  God,  and  was  al- 
ways ready  to  testify  or  pray  in  her  sweet,  child- 
like way.  We  have  often  known  her  to  work 
for  the  conversion  of  others,  praying  for  persons 
by  name. 

She  and  her  sister  Vida,  although  such  oppo- 
sites  in  disposition,  were  from  childhood  devoted 
to  one  another.  They  were  together  in  every- 
thing, one  not  being  able  to  enjoy  anything  with- 
out the  other.  If  one's  doll  was  broken,  the  doll 
of  the  other  w^as  carefully  put  away  until  the 
broken  one  was  replaced.  A  box  of  sweets  could 
not  be  enjoyed  until  the  other  one  had  them,  too. 
One  seemed  to  be  the  complement  of  the  other. 
I  am  glad  they  were  saved  the  sorrow  of  separa- 
tion. 

Lois  was,  as  we  called  her,  grandmother  to  all 
the  children,  and  had  a  wonderful  motherly  way 
with  the  little  ones,  which  was  a  great  help  in  the 
home.  She  always  said  she  was  going  to  study 
medicine  and  be  our  medical  missionary,  a  saying 
which  during  the  last  year  or  two  had  grown  into 
a  deep  conviction.  She  loved  her  Bible,  and  read 
many  chapters  daily,  as  her  diary  shows,  and  had 
many  uncommon  verses  wdiich  she  had  memor- 
ized and  could  tell  where  they  were.  She  had 
special  verses  for  every  day  in  the  month,  and 
often  gave  us  her  ''find"  for  the  day.  On  the 
9th  of  May,  1898,  I  find  in  her  diary  this  entry, 
— "My  verses  for  to-day  are  Matt.  9 :  29 :  'Ac- 
cording to  your  faith  be  it  unto  you' ;  Mark  9 : 


40  THE  DARJEEUNG  DISASTER 

23,  'Jesus  said,  if  thou  canst  believe,  all  things 
are  possible  with  him  that  believeth,'  and  2  Cor. 
9 :  8,  ''God  is  able  to  make  all  grace  abound  to- 
ward you  *  ^=  ^  /  " 

Once,  when  I  was  talking  to  them  about  their 
education,  and  regretting  that  we  had  not  the 
money  to  send  them  home  to  finish  their  school- 
ing, she  said,  "Mamma,  'the  Lord  is  able  to  give 
thee  much  more  than  this ;'  this  is  my  verse  in  2 
Chron.  25  :  9."  Since  that  day  it  has  been  one 
of  my  anchor  texts. 

In  her  diary  for  1896,  we  find  several  notes  of 
great  interest  to  us,  such  as,  "My  text  for  this 
week  is,  'Blessed  are  those  servants  whom  the 
Lord,  when  he  cometh,  shall  find  watching,'  " 
and  in  another  place,  "I  am  sorry  I  was  naughty 
to-day ;  I  will  try  and  never  be  so  again ;  'Be- 
lieve on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  and  thou  shalt  be 
saved.'  " 

The  following  gives  us  a  glimpse  into  her  inner 
life :  "I  have  been  trying  to  be  good  and  get  full 
marks  this  week  in  conduct  and  in  everything 
(this  was  about  her  school  life).  One  of  the 
girls  put  my  name  down  when  I  never  spoke,  so 
one  mark  is  ofif  already.  Mamma  is  away  to  the 
South  Villages,  so  we  all  have  to  be  mamma,  and 
are  trying  our  best.  I  read  Psalm  20.  I  must 
go  to  bed  now ;  so  good-night,  my  dear  old 
diary." 

In  the  beginning  of  1897  we  find  under  notes 
for  that  year :  "I  am  going  to  be  a  very  good 
girl,  with  God's  help." 


LOIS  GBRTRUDB  41 

2.  "I  am  going  to  try  and  make  everybody 
happy." 

3.  "I  wish  to  remember  the  Golden  Rule." 

4.  ''I  wish  also  to  have  good  lessons." 

5.  *'My  text  for  the  year  is,  'Except  the  Lord 
build  the  house,  they  labour  in  vain  that  build 
it'  Ps.   127:  I." 

On  Sunday,  March  6,  1898,  we  find  this  sweet 
entry:  "I  went  to  all  the  Sunday  services  to-day. 
I  got  a  blessing.    God  help  me  to  be  good. 

'Oh,  how  sweet  the  glorious  promise 
Simple  faith  may  claim ; 
Yesterday,  to-day,  forever, 
Jesns  is  the  same.'  " 

Another  in  the  same  month :  ''We  went  to  the 
Zoo  to-day.  Mamma  could  not  go,  so  I  brought 
her  a  pansy." 

A  few  days  later,  she  writes:  "I  am  asking 
Jesus  for  an  organ."  She  had  saved  different 
sums  of  money  since  quite  a  little  girl,  hoping 
to  gather  enough  to  buy  an  organ.  When  only 
four  years  old  her  papa  gave  her  a  little  pig. 
which  she  fed  and  cared  for,  and  when  we  re- 
moved from  that  place,  it  was  sold,  she  keeping 
the  proceeds  for  her  organ. 

Later,  when  we  came  to  India,  the  old  melo- 
deon  on  which  she  had  practiced  as  a  child  was 
sold  at  our  sale.  When  the  men  carried  it  out  of 
the  house,  the  children  hid  their  faces,  as  though 
they  could  not  bear  to  see  the  old  friend  go. 
Lois  had  a  quiet  cry  to  herself. 


42  THE  DARJEBUXG  DISASTER 

Her  papa  handed  her  the  money  it  brought, 
and  told  her  to  keep  it  for  a  new  one.  Another 
friend  gave  her  a  sovereign,  and  often  even  her 
pocket  money  went  into  this  fund. 

At  the  beginning  of  this  year  we  found  she 
had  money  enough  to  buy  a  httle  American  or- 
gan which  was  offered  very  cheap,  so  her  papa 
purchased  it  for  her,  and  she  was  dehghted  with 
it.  We  took  it  to  the  hills,  and  this  organ,  and 
the  boys'  violins,  and  Yida's  guitar  lie  beneath 
those  awful  ruins. 

They  each  had  their  bank  account,  and  han- 
dled their  own  money.  We  find  they  had  saved  a 
good  bit  of  their  pocket  money;  for  there  are 
still  sixty  rupees  ($20)  to  their  credit.  This  we 
have  put  into  their  ''Memorial  Building  Fund." 

Another  entry,  dated  March  27,  1898,  runs: 
''To-day  I  read  Luke  from  the  13th  to  the  20th 
chapter.  I  got  a  great  blessing  this  evening. 
Oh,  God,  help  me  to  help  Wilbur  and  Herbert. 
'Walk  while  ye  have  the  light.' 

"  'Tis    done,   the   great   transaction's   done, 
'I  am  my  Lord's  and  He  is  mine.'  " 

On  her  birthday  in  1898,  we  find  these  verses, 
taken  for  the  last  year  of  her  life, — Isaiah  54: 
10,  14:  "For  the  mountains  shall  depart  and  the 
hills  be  removed,  but  my  kindness  shall  not  de- 
part from  thee,  neither  shall  the  covenant  of  my 
peace  be  removed,  saith  the  Lord  that  hath  mercy 
on  thee," 


LOIS  GERTRUDli  43 

The  fourteenth  verse  is  underscored:  "In 
righteousness  shall  they  be  established.  Thou 
shalt  be  far  from  oppression,  for  thou  shalt  not 
fear ;  and  from  terror,  for  it  shall  not  come  near 
thee." 

These  seem  to  us  like  prophecies  fulfilled  in 
her  death. 

The  mountains  did  depart,  and  the  hills  were 
removed,  but  I  believe  the  Lord's  kindness  did 
not  depart  from  that  dear  girl,  and  it  was  in  the 
keeping  of  His  covenant  of  peace  that  he  snatch- 
ed her  out  of  the  destruction  caused  by  the  fury 
of  the  elements  on  that  awful  night,  and  this 
prophecy  was  literally  fulfilled  in  saving  her 
from  the  fear  and  terror  in  the  hour  of  death. 
He  folded  her  in  His  loving  arms  and  bore  her 
away  to  be  forever  with  Him. 

A  part  of  her  diary  for  1899  was  dug  out  of 
the  ruins.  It  has  a  few  characteristic  entries. 
On  June  ist,  we  read,  "To-day  I  made  out  a 
routine,  and  mean  to  keep  it  with  God's  help.  I 
took  the  daily  prayer-meeting  this  afternoon  at 
the  school.  My  verse  was,  'Call  upon  me  and  I 
will  answer  thee  and  show  thee  great  and  mighty 
things  which  thou  knowest  not.'  " 

June  2nd.  "I  did  not  go  to  school  to-day  as 
it  was  very  rainy,  but  wrote  letters  instead.  I 
found  out  that  my  great-grandfather  on  mam- 
ma's side  was  a  Methodist  preacher ;  my  grandpa 
on  papa's  side  was  a  (local)  Methodist  preacher; 
my  honorable  dad  is  a  Methodist  preacher,  and 
my  kids  will  most  likely  be  Methodist  preacher's 


44  THE  DARJEBLIXC  DISASTER 

kids."  This  last  shows  how  full  of  wit  and  mis- 
chief she  was.  No  girl  ever  got  more  joy  out  of 
life  than  she. 

She  speaks  in  these  entries  very  affectionately 
of  her  bosom  friend,  Flora,  the  daughter  of  one 
of  our  missionaries.  On  June  24th,  our  last  Sat- 
urday before  we  left  them  to  return  to  our 
work,  she  speaks  of  the  glad,  joyous  time,  and 
says,  "Flora  came.  She  is  such  a  sweetheart.  I 
love  her  so  much.  I  think  God  meant  us  for 
each  other." 

June  27th,  "Mamma  and  papa,  with  Frank 
and  Esther,  left  for  Calcutta  to-day." 

She  afterwards  writes  of  the  Fourth  of  July 
they  had  together,  and  the  state  dinner,  as  they 
called  it,  which  they  cooked  and  served  them- 
selves, having  invited  their  principal.  Miss  Stahl, 
and  Flora,  to  dine  with  them. 

Her  spiritual  life  seemed  to  develop  rapidly 
this  year,  and  to  her  joyousness  there  seemed  no 
bounds. 

She  had  a  way  of  getting  around  her  papa ; 
in  fact,  every  one.  It  was  difficult  for  anyone  to 
refuse  a  request  she  made.  She  seemed  to  make 
only  reasonable  ones,  and  had  such  a  loving,  ir- 
resistible way  about  her  that  we  would  deny  our- 
selves anything  to  please  her.  And  gladly  would 
we  have  given  our  lives  to  have  saved  her  from 
pain  and  death. 

Oh,  how  cruel  it  seems  that  her  bright  life 
should  have  been  crushed  out  and  that  dear  form 
bruised  and  mangled.    Just*  think — thrown  nearly 


LOIS  GERTRUDE  4S 

200  feet  down  the  mountain  side  and  found  bur- 
ied in  the  sand,  all  but  her  pretty  white  hand. 
She  was  dug  out  by  friends,  and  carried  to  where 
kind  strangers  prepared  her  for  the  burial. 

Then  from  the  spot  where  she  had  often  heard 
the  Word  of  God,  and  had  played  the  organ  for 
Sunday-school,  and  united  her  voice  in  the  sing- 
ing of  the  beautiful  hymns  of  praise — from  the 
little  church  in  the  hills,  they  bore  her  all  covered 
with  her  favorite  chrysanthemum,  and  laid  her 
away,  long  before  w^e  could  reach  her.  No  "good- 
bye, mamma,"  nor  parting  word. 

But  our  hearts  would  break  should  we  dwell 
on  this  part  of  this  awful  mystery.  So  we  try 
to  drive  it  away  and  think  only  of  her  glorified 
spirit,  happy  with  God  in  Heaven. 

She  wrote  just  a  few  weeks  before:  "Mamma 
— you  have  written  to  all  the  rest,  but  not  to  me 
for  a  long  time.  I  think  you  have  forgotten  you 
have  me."  The  thought  of  not  having  her  would 
kill  me — and  the  future  without  our  darlings  is 
so  dark  and  dismal  that  to-day  we  feel  we  can 
never  face  to-morrow.  But  as  we  turn  from  the 
busy  whirl  of  life  to  see  the  sunset  each  day,  we 
say  to  ourselves :  It  is  one  day  less  until  we  shall 
go  to  them, — one  day  nearer  home. 

As  we  think  of  Christmas  without  them,  it 
seems  impossible  for  us  to  ever  live  through  that 
once  joyous  tide  again — and  we  catch  ourselves 
breathing  the  prayer,  "Come  Lord  Jesus,  come 
not  only  for  our  sakes — but  for  others — and  make 
this  sad  world  glad.     Usher  in  the  time  John 


46  riUi  DARJEELISC  DISASTER 

spoke  of  when  he  said,  'Behold  the  Tabernacle  of 
God  is  with  men,  and  he  will  dwell  with  them 
and  they  shall  be  his  people,  and  God  himself 
shall  be  with  them  and  be  their  God.  And  God 
shall  wipe  away  all  tears  from  their  eyes,  and 
there  shall  be  no  more  death,  neither  sorrow  nor 
crying,  neither  shall  there  be  any  more  pain,  for 
the  former  things  are  passed  away.'  " 

In  her  writing  desk  we  found  the  following  in 
her  own  handwriting.  Surely  her  ambitions 
have  been  realized  and  she  is  now  all  she  hoped 
to  be. 

"J\ly  ambitions  in  life  : — 
"To  be  gentle  and  loving  and  loved  by  all. 
"To  have  my  secret  hopes   fulfilled. 
"To  be  able  to  play  the  organ  and  piano  per- 
fectly. 

"To  be  a  doctor. 

"To  be  the  perfect  model  of  a  true  woman. 

"Lois  Lee." 
"March  6,  1899." 

How  perfectly  she  must  play  and  sing  now. 
I  remember  on  two  occasions — once  on  my  birth- 
day anniversary,  I  was  awakened  from  a  sound 
sleep,  by  Vida  playing  her  guitar  at  the  door  of 
my  room.  Another  time,  only  a  year  ago,  I  had 
gone  to  sleep  earlier  than  usual,  and  was  awak- 
ened by  Lois  playing  on  the  piano  and  she  and 
Vida  singing  so  sweetly. 

I  thought,  at  first,  I  was  in  Heaven — so  sweet 
were  the  sounds,  that  it  seemed  the  angels  were 
singing.     Tears  of  joy  flowed  down  my  cheeks. 


LOIS  GBRTRUDB  47 

Methinks  one  day  I  will  be  thus  awakened  by 
their  music,  and  will  open  my  eyes  in  Heaven 
with  them  all  about  me — each  one  trying  to  be 
first  to  greet  me. 

When  I  shall  meet  with  those  that  I  have  loved, 
Clasp  in  my  arms  the  dear  ones  long  removed, 
And  find  how  faithful  Thou  to  me  hast  proved, 
I  shall  be  satisfied, 

— Horatius  Bonar, 


CHAPTER  IV. 

Wilbur  David. 

Peace  !  perfect  peace  !  with  loved  ones  far  away, 
In  Jesus'  keeping  we  are  safe  and  they. 
Peace  !  perfect  peace  !  death  shadowing  us  and  ours, 
Jesus  has  vanquished  death  and  all  its  powers. 

Wilbur  was  my  little  Samuel — asked  of  God. 
Mr.  Lee's  health  had  failed  the  year  before,  and 
he  had  to  give  up  preaching  and  take  a  year's 
rest.  I  remember  the  test  to  our  faith  when  the 
last  of  our  year's  salary  came  in  and  there  was 
110  prospect  of  more  for  another  year.  We  had 
always  given  God  His  tenths.  Should  we  tithe 
this,  which  was  all  we  had,  and  it  not  half 
enough  to  support  us  and  our  two  little  girls  for 
the  three  months  ahead  of  us,  let  alone  a  whole 
year? 

We  hesitated  only  a  moment,  then  said,  ''H  we 
use  God's  tenth  it  will  be  taking  what  does  not 
belong  to  us.  It  would  also  be  doubting  Him  who 
has  never  failed  us.  We  must  live  up  to  our 
principles."  So  we  took  the  usual  part  and  gave 
it  to  the  Lord's  work,  as  we  had  always  done.  It 
Avas  not  two  weeks  afterwards  until  God  sent  us, 
from  a  most  unexpected  source,  ten  times  as 
much  as  we  had  given,  and  we  were  able  to  take 
the  year's  rest.  This  was  one  of  the  great  les- 
sons of  my  life.     I  never  was  afraid  after  that 

48 


WILBUR  DAVID  49 

to  take  out  our  tenth  for  the  Lord,  even  if  it  was 
our  last  penny.  The  Lord  keeps  His  accounts 
balanced,  and  gives  back  in  gospel  measure. 

Mr.  Lee  was  soon  well  and  strong  again,  but 
our  going  back  to  India  seemed  doubtful. 

On  August  26th,  1886,  (the  year  we  were 
resting)  in  Mountain  Lake  Park,  Maryland,  U. 
S.  A.,  Wilbur  was  born.  How  delighted  we  were 
with  our  Boy  Baby !  We  gladly  dedicated  him 
to  God  for  India,  but  soon  after,  he  took  ill,  and 
was  so  ill,  that  he  came  near  dying.  Day  and 
night  he  cried  until  it  was  almost  unbearable. 
He  was  not  able  to  retain  nourishment,  and  went 
down,  down  every  day  until  he  was  nothing  but 
a  skeleton.  We  called  in  an  old  doctor,  who  did 
everything  that  could  be  done.  Finally  he  told  us 
nothing  could  save  the  child,  and  it  was  only  a 
question  of  a  few  days,  and  then  he  left  us. 

Still  I  worked  with  the  little  fellow,  hoping 
and  praying,  but  he  grew  worse,  until  he  weighed 
less  than  five  pounds,  and  the  skin  seemed  to  dry 
on  his  bones.  He  was  the  most  wretched  sight 
I  ever  saw.  For  three  months  I  never  slept  more 
than  two  hours  at  a  time,  and  then  usually  with 
him  in  my  arms.  Many  times  I  have  prayed 
over  him  all  night. 

Finally,  one  morning  after  such  a  night,  I  laid 
him  down  to  go  and  get  the  others  something  to 
eat.  Suddenly  the  plaintive  wail  ceased,  and  I 
rushed  back  to  my  baby  to  find  his  eyes  set,  his 
arms  and  legs  stiff,  and  he  dying,  as  I  thought. 


50  THE  DARJEBLIXG  DISASTER 

I  took  him  in  my  arms  and  prayed  for  grace  to 
give  him  up. 

His  papa  said,  "Shall  I  baptize  him  and  name 
him  before  he  dies?"  I  said  "Yes,"  and  not 
asking  each  other  about  the  name,  his  papa  took 
him  in  his  arms  and  baptized  him,  calling  him 
Wilbur.  Although  unable  to  draw  his  tongue 
into  his  mouth  all  day,  still  he  lived. 

Some  kind  friend  came  in  to  watch  with  him, 
and  they  sent  me  off  to  rest.  While  praying 
and  waiting  before  God,  I  heard  a  little  cry,  and 
went  to  my  baby,  to  find  the  change  had  come, 
and  he  was  able  to  take  nourishment.  I  got  out 
his  clothes  again  and  went  to  work  nursing  him, 
saying  to  his  papa,  "Never  mind;  he'll  live  to  be 
a  man  yet."  A  few  days  later  an  abscess  seemed 
to  break  and  come  away,  and  the  little  fellow, 
although  he  looked  to  be  a  cripple,  grew  strong 
and  became  a  nice,  hearty  child. 

The  old  infidel  doctor  said:  **If  this  child 
lives  I  will  believe  there  is  a  God."  When  Wilbur 
was  ten  months  old  I  met  him  on  the  street  one 
day,  and  he  looking  on  our  fat,  bonny  boy,  said, 
"Well,  I  have  seen  one  miracle  in  my  life;  there 
must  be  a  God." 

A  year  or  two  later  Wilbur  came  nearly  being 
washed  away  by  a  wave  on  the  shore  of  Lake 
Erie.  I  caught  him  by  the  dress  just  as  he  was 
being  swept  under  the  water.  He  has  had  several 
other  narrow  escapes.  Two  or  three  times  in 
his  life  he  had  been  very  ill,  and  we  were  very 
anxious  about  him ;  but  I  was  always  so  sure  he 


WILBUR  DAVID  Si 

had  a  special  mission  that  I  never  feared  but  that 
his  Hfe  would  be  spared.  Can  it  be  he  was  born 
for  the  Darjeeling  disaster?  Was  that  his  mis- 
sion ? 

There  is  something  mysterious  about  prayer. 
We  are  told  it  wields  a  wonderful  power  with 
God.  I  have  had  many  wrestlings  with  God  in 
prayer  for  the  dear  ones  and  the  work,  and 
great  victories.  Is  it  not  strange  that  in  this 
one  awful  hour  of  their  lives  we  did  not  even 
know  of  their  danger,  and  had  no  chance  with 
God  in  prayer  for  them?  Surely,  this  was  also 
a  part  of  His  purpose. 

After  his  recovery  I  added  the  name  David  to 
Wilbur,  for  his  papa,  and  especially  for  the 
meaning — beloved  of  the  Lord;  and  never  was  a 
boy  dearer  to  his  mother,  too,  than  he. 

I  found  him,  when  very  young,  a  boy  who 
could  entertain  himself.  Always  building  little 
sand-houses,  making  mills  and  light-houses,  and 
even  to  the  last,  always  inventing  play  engines 
and  machines,  building  forts  and  equipping  them. 
He  was  also  ingenious  in  inventing  or  discover- 
ing ways  of  doing  things.  We  noticed  this  on 
the  last  day  of  his  life.  When  he  could  not  get 
his  jaws  apart  so  as  to  drink  from  a  glass  or  cup 
and  we  were  all  wondering  what  to  do  for  him, 
he  said,  ** Mamma,  if  I  had  a  straw  I  could  suck 
the  water  through  it,"  and  acting  on  this  sugges- 
tion we  got  a  glass  tube  with  a  rubber  attached, 
and  he  was  able  to  take  nourishment  for  many 
hours.     Then  when  he  could  no  longer  swallow 


52  THU  DARJBELIKG  DISASTER 

such  quantities,  he  suggested  a  sponge,  and  the 
dear  boy  used  this  to  the  last. 

When  the  two  brothers  were  old  enough  to 
play  together  they  seemed  perfectly  happy  in 
each  other's  company.  This  was  a  great  protec- 
tion to  both.  Friends  used  to  criticise  our  policy ; 
for  w^e  never  allowed  them  on  the  street,  or  to 
play  with  other  boys.  I  have  been  told  that  in 
thus  doing  I  was  totally  unfitting  them  for  life's 
battles. 

But  I  knew  our  Wilbur  was  so  quick  to  imitate, 
that  until  stronger  I  must  shield  him  from  the 
sin  about  him, — this  policy  I  would  practice  if  I 
had  a  hundred  boys. 

He  also  learned  at  home ;  never  having  gone 
to  school  until  eight  years  of  age,  so  I  am  sure 
the  boy  never  heard  an  oath  until  he  w^as  about 
nine  years  old,  and  then  he  did  not  know  what  it 
meant.  When  it  was  explained  to  him  he  thought 
it  was  an  awful  thing,  and  his  whole  nature  re- 
volted against  the  use  of  profane  language. 

He  was  naturally  a  brave  boy,  and  I  have 
known  him  to  stand  any  amount  of  jeers  and 
taunts  rather  than  to  do  a  mean  thing.  I  was 
his  confidant,  as  every  mother  should  be  to  her 
son.  There  would  not  be  so  many  boys  go  wrong 
if  every  mother  insisted  on  knowing  where  her 
boy  was  and  all  about  what  he  was  doing,  from 
the  time  of  his  infancy.  She  would  be  able  to 
save  him  from  many  a  snare,  and  I  believe  if  we 
begin  in  time — we  mothers — we  can  build  so 
strongly  around  our  boys'  hearts  that  Satan  and 


IV I  LB  UK  DAVID  53 

all  his  powers  can  not  invade  successfully  our 
domain. 

He  was  frequently  asked  about  how  each  hour 
was  spent  while  out  of  the  house,  and  was  so  in 
the  habit  of  telling  me  everything,  that  should  he 
do  wrong  or  engage  in  anything  he  had  been 
requested  to  keep  from  his  mother,  his  con- 
science so  troubled  him,  he  could  not  long  endure 
it  without  telling  me  all  about  it.  He  was  also 
a  great  protection  to  his  younger  brother.  Many 
a  time  the  one  might  have  been  unable  to  with- 
stand the  temptation  alone. 

About  a  year  ago  some  boys  were  trying  to 
get  him  to  fight  another,  and  because  he  would 
not,  called  him  a  coward.  He  answered,  ''I  am 
not  a  coward,  but  I  was  taught  that  it  was  wrong 
to  fight ;  besides,  this  boy  is  smaller  than  I  am, 
and  a  Bengali  boy.  I  could  never  do  so  mean  a 
thing  as  to  hurt  such  a  boy,"  and  he  took  the 
sneers  and  cuffs  of  the  boys,  but  would  not 
yield. 

He  hated  dishonesty  and  cruelty,  and  felt  most 
indignant  toward  any  one  who  had  robbed  a 
bird's  nest  or  injured  a  young  bird.  I  have 
known  them  to  hide  and  protect  nests  from  other 
boys  until  the  birds  were  ready  to  fly.  Should 
any  one  destroy  one  of  these  birds  he  would  cry 
bitterly ;  he  could  not  bear  to  see  anything  suffer. 

Notwithstanding  this,  he  was  a  great,  rollick- 
ing boy,  full  of  play  and  mischief,  even  boister- 
ous at  times ;  but  the  moment  he  was  alone  with 
me,  a  place  he  liked  so  much  to  be,  he  was  as 


54  TUB  DARJBBLINC  disaster 

gentle  and  manly  as  a  boy  could  be,  always  ready 
to  help  me  in  whatever  I  was  doing, — cooking, 
sewing,  or  whatever  it  might  be.  ''Mamma,  can't 
I  help  you  ?"  rang  out  so  merrily  on  my  ears  that 
the  words  themselves  seemed  to  do  half  the  work 
and  lift  the  burden  from  everything.  He  w^as  my 
right  hand. 

Oh !  the  companionship !  I  think  we  were 
more  together  than  the  others.  His  eyes  not 
being  very  strong,  I  had  always  read  much  to 
him,  and  used  to  help  him  in  his  lessons,  so  that 
every  day  we  had  one  or  two  hours  alone  to- 
gether. 

How  I  used  to  enter  into  their  play.  He  and 
his  brother  were  both  very  fond  of  soldiers,  and 
much  of  their  play  was  in  imitation  of  them, 
— marching  and  drilling  with  all  sorts  of  uni- 
forms and  make-believe  swords  and  guns.  The 
two  little  sisters  were  always  ready  to  join  in 
with  all  sorts  of  tin  pans  and  broken  bottles  for 
drums  and  bugles,  wath  streamers  and  flags  fly- 
ing— the  trophies  of  many  a  battle.  In  their 
play  during  the  year  of  1898,  the  Spanish  were 
routed  and  Manila  taken  many  times  over.  How 
fitting  it  was  for  the  brave  men  of  the  Munster 
Regiment  at  Darjeeling  to  carry  our  boy  to  his 
last  resting  place !  There  were  no  others  whom 
he  would  have  preferred. 

Wilbur,  too,  was  a  singer,  and  of  late  years  his 
voice  had  become  very  strong  and  musical.  He 
was  also  learning  the  violin,  and  played  several 
pieces  very  well.     One  of  his  special  songs  was. 


WILBUR  DAVID  55 

"The  hand-writing  on  the  wall ;"  others,  "Tell  it 
to  Jesus,"  and, 

"Someone  will  enter  the  pearly  gates, 
Shall  you,  shall  I?" 

He  was  very  fond  of  visiting  the  hospital  and 
taking  flowers  and  papers  to  the  sick,  and  en- 
joyed distributing  tracts. 

I  find  an  entry  in  Vida's  diary  of  last  year, 
as  follows :  "We  were  out  in  the  square  this 
evening,  the  boys  distributing  tracts  as  usual. 

"Wilbur  gave  a  gentleman  one,  and  he,  mak- 
ing fun,  said,  'Where  will  this  ticket  take  me, 
my  lad?' 

"  'To  heaven,  I  hope,'  said  Wilbur,  and  walked 
on." 

He  was  a  very  sociable  boy.  He  liked  to  meet 
people,  and  had  many  friends  among  young  and 
old.  He  had  such  a  gentle  way  with  little  chil- 
dren, and  he  knew  how  to  win  them.  Then,  too, 
he  was  so  full  of  play.  He  could  amuse  and  in- 
terest others. 

He  was  a  great  boy  to  tell  stories  and  inci- 
dents, and  if  he  ran  out  of  those  he  actually 
knew,  invented  one  for  the  occasion — such  as  a 
shipwreck. 

If  I  would  say,  "Why,  Wilbur,  where  did  you 
read  that  interesting  story?" 

He  would  answer,  "I  did  not  read  it,  mamma ; 
it's, just  one  I  made." 

When  I  suggested  a  doubt  as  to  its  being  the 
thing  to  do,  he  would  say,  "Why,  mamma,  people 


56  THE  DARJEELING  DISASTER 

imagine  these  stories  and  write  them  in  books ; 
what  harm  is  it  for  me  to  imagine  a  shipwreck 
and  tell  it  to  others?"-  Herbert  would  listen  to 
him  by  the  hour. 

While  he  was  a  natural  boy  and  enjoyed  boys' 
toys  and  games,  he  was  also  very  fond  of  dolls 
and  girls'  play.  Only  two  years  ago  he  was  very 
ill,  and  had  to  be  in  bed  two  or  three  weeks. 
One  of  our  missionary's  daughters  came  to  see 
him,  and  said,  ''Wilbur,  what  can  I  do  for  you? 
What  can  I  send  you?" 

"Have  you  not  a  lot  of  dolls?"  he  said,  "sup- 
pose you  send  me  one  of  them." 

She  sent  him  one  dressed  as  a  sailor-boy.  He 
then  coaxed  me  for  a  wife  for  his  sailor.  A  few 
days  afterwards  he  saw  a  beautiful  little  baby 
doll  only  about  three  inches  long,  and  said,  "Let 
me  have  that  for  a  baby  for  my  sailor-boy ;  then 
I  will  have  a  whole  family."  These  he  kept 
among  his  treasures  to  be  brought  out  whenever 
little  friends  came  in,  and  we  found  them  still 
among  his  things  after  he  was  gone. 

He  was  very  quick  to  understand  that  boys 
are  sometimes  unwelcome  guests.  He  and  his 
brother  had  a  lady  friend  who  often  invited  them 
to  her  place,  and  always  seemed  glad  to  see  them. 
I  overheard  Wilbur  remark  one  day  concerning 
this  friend,  "She  is  a  fine  lady.  She  does  not 
think  boys  are  in  the  way." 

Herbert  chimed  in  and  said,  "Yes,  and  she 
knows  what  boys  like,  too." 

Then  "Hip !  Hip !  Hurray  for  Miss  G ! !"  and 


WILBUR  DAVID  57 

all,  little  and  big,  joined  in  the  three  cheers. 

Wilbur  was  very  fond  of  flowers  and  ferns. 
He  delighted  in  the  mountains,  and  was  contin- 
ually finding  some  new  flower  or  leaf  to  bring 
home  to'  me.  What  jolly  times  they  had  climb- 
ing and  racing !  Could  other  children  ever  have 
a  grander  time  together  than  they  ?  During  their 
two  months'  vacation,  each  hot  season,  for  four 
years,  they  roamed  those  dear  old  hills  over  and 
over  from  Kurseong  to  Darjeeling !  Oh !  the 
freedom  and  the  enjoyment  of  those  times!  Is 
it  possible  these  days  are  gone   forever? 

This  last  year  was  also  one  full  of  joy.  In 
spite  of  the  excessive  rains  they  would  have  their 
picnics  and  outings  and  days  with  their  ponies, 
often  coming  home  drenched.  Wilbur  was  one 
to  propose  their  staying  up  at  the  hills  during 
the  hot  weather  while  we  were  s^ettine  their 
home  ready  for  them  in  Calcutta,  and  he  took 
no  little  share  of  the  responsibility  about  the 
house.  He  looked  after  things,  and  he  and  Her- 
bert did  all  the  buying  and  keeping  them  in  food. 
He  was  so  helpful  and  kind  that  Vida  often 
spoke  of  it  in  her  letters. 

He  was  also  happy  in  his  school  relations,  and 
seemed  to  be  studying  hard.  In  my  last  letter  to 
him  I  said,  ''If  you  pass  your  examination  this 
year,  Wilbur,  papa  and  I  are  going  to  give  you 
a  bicycle,"  the  thing  he  so  much  coveted.  He 
replied  how  pleased  he  was  as  he  had  so  long 
wished  for  one,  and  assuring  me  he  was  trying 
to  win  it. 


58  THB  DARJEBLING  DISASTER 

"But,"  he  said,  ''mamma,  do  you  know  who  de- 
serves a  bicycle  more  than  I?  It  is  Vida.  She 
has  been  so  good  to  us  children  ever  since  you 
went  down — just  like  a  mother  to  us.  I  think 
she  ought  to  have  a  bicycle  if  no  one  else  does." 

Vida  as  the  oldest  sister  was  faithful  to  her 
trust  until  the  last.  So  was  our  darling  boy  to 
his,  and  their  reward — what  can  it  be?  Some- 
thing far  better  than  a  bicycle, — something  that 
fills  them  with  joy  supreme.  Oh!  how  we  long 
for  one  glimpse  of  their  bliss !  Just  one  look  at 
our  boys'  cheery  faces,  how  it  would  comfort  our 
tired,  aching  hearts.  But  the  Lord  only  took 
us  at  our  word  when  we  gave  them  to  him,  and 
had  need  of  them  on  the  other  side.  Instead  of 
the  strong  arm  of  my  boy  that  I  had  hoped  to 
lean  on,  He  puts  underneath  us  His  everlasting 
arms,  and  we  just  rest  there  until  His  time  comes 
to  bear  us  home  : 

There'll  be   songs   of   greeting   when   Jesus   comes. 
There'll  be  songs  of  greeting  when  Jesus  conies: 
And  a  glorious  meeting  when  Jesus  comes, 

To  gather  H'is  children  home. 
There'll  be  no  dark  valley  when  Jesus  comes, 

To  gather  His  children  home. 


w 

Oi 

X 


CHAPTER  V. 
Herbi<:rt  Wilson. 

If  we  could  push  ajar  the  gates  of  life, 

And  stand  within,  and  all  God's  working  see, 
We  could  interpret  all  this  doubt  and  strife, 

And  for  each  mystery  could  find  a  key. 
And  if,  through  patient  toil,  we  reach  the  land 

Where  tired  feet,  with  sandals  loose  may  rest. 
When  we  shall  clearly  know  and  understand, 

I  think  that  we  will  say,  "God  knew  the  best." 

—M.  R.   Smith. 

With  the  birth  of  our  fourth  child,  Herbert, 
dawned  the  busiest  year  in  all  my  life  as  mother. 
With  four  little  ones  looking  up  into  our  faces, 
helpless,  dependent,  with  no  one  to  earn  their 
support  but  their  father,  whose  small  salary  re- 
quired the  most  careful  management  to  make  it 
meet  our  necessities,  and  no  others'  hands  but 
ours  to  provide  for  all  the  little  wants  and  to  do 
the  work  in  the  home,  I  found  my  moments  full. 

How  to  keep  the  little  bodies  clean  and  com- 
fortably clothed ;  the  best  way  to  keep  them  nour- 
ished with  food  suited  to  produce  the  best  results 
in  the  healthy  development  of  the  entire  physical 
structure ;  how  best  to  execute  that  greatest  of  all 
missions — the  caring  for  and  training  of  the 
young  minds  and  souls  entrusted  to  our  keeping 
by  God  Himself ;  these  were  all  engrossing  sub- 
jects, which  kept  me  busy,  and  happy  too,  in  that 

59 


6o  THE  DARJBBLING  DISASTER 

dear  little  country  parsonage  on  the  shore  of  one 
of  America's  greatest  lakes. 

I  can  remember  how  often  my  arms  and  back 
ached  from  the  toil  of  the  day  and,  when  one 
was  ill,  from  wakefulness  and  anxiety  of  the 
night;  for,  although  a  healthy  lot  of  children, 
there  came  times  now  and  then  when  disease 
would  make  its  attack  on  one  and  another,  and 
often  for  days,  and  even  weeks,  I  have  seemed 
to  have  to  fight  death  in  hand-to-hand  struggles. 
With  tears  and  prayers,  and  an  anxious  heart 
would  I  hold  the  little  form  all  night;  and  yet 
how  many  times  God  heard  and  answered  and 
gave  us  back  our  darlings  again  in  health. 

Sometimes  there  was  a  temptation  to  be  irrita- 
ble and  displeased  because,  try  ever  so  hard  to 
keep  them  so,  the  once  tidy  rooms  would  become 
a  chaos  of  books,  slates,  broken  toys,  dolls,  baby 
garments,  shoes  and  stockings,  filling  floor  and 
chair,  so  that  they  looked  as  though  (as  their 
patient  papa  said)  a  cyclone  had  struck  the 
room.  But,  oh !  how  little  those  things  seem 
now,  and  how  gladly  we  would  welcome  back  the 
untidy  rooms.  How  beautiful  in  our  eyes  would 
their  torn  shoes  and  stockings  now  appear ;  in- 
stead of  the  backache  and  armache  we  now 
have  a  heartache  from  which  there  seems  no  re- 
lease. 

We  often  catch  ourselves  listening  for  the 
rush  of  our  darlings  on  the  stairs  to  see  who  will 
beat  up,  and  our  lonely  hearts  long  for  the  sound 
of  their  merry  voices.     We  sometimes  think  if 


HBRBBRT  WILSON  6i 

we  could  but  feel  their  cheeks  pressed  to  ours 
and  their  arms  twined  about  us  with  the  loving 
good-night  kiss,  we  could  work  day  and  night,  or 
dare  anything,  with  a  light  heart. 

It  used  to  be  a  nightly  habit  before  retiring, 
to  go  into  their  rooms  and  see  that  each  one  was 
safe  and  sleeping  soundly;  and  at  two  o'clock 
to  revisit  the  little  beds  and  tuck  each  one  in. 
Many  a  time  have  I  dropped  on  my  knees  be- 
side their  beds  and  thanked  God  for  them,  and 
committed  them  to  His  keeping  for  the  remain- 
der of  the  night,  and  returned  to  my  couch  and 
slept  such  sound  and  peaceful  sleep  as  only  a 
tired,  happy  mother  can. 

Now  the  rooms  and  beds  are  empty,  and  ev- 
erywhere we  turn,  the  blank  and  silence  seem  to 
mock  our  yearnings,  until  we  walk  into  the  star- 
light and  turn  our  tear-filled  eyes  to  heaven. 
There  they  all  seem  to  gather  about  us,  their 
bright  faces  seeming  to  peer  down  at  us,  and  we 
can  almost  hear  them  speak,  so  real  is  the  vision, 
and  we  return  to  our  couch  comforted  as  only 
God  can  comfort,  and  we  seem  to  rest  on  Jesus' 
bosom,  "where  nought  but  calm  is  found." 

I  have  many  things  to  regret ;  but  how  I  thank 
God  now  that  I  never  felt  we  had  one  too  many ; 
nor  did  I  ever  tire  of  their  noise  or  of  doing  for 
them.  I  am  glad  that  several  years  ago  I  wrote 
the  lines,  "The  highest  honor  God  has  ever  be- 
stowed upon  me  in  this  life  is  that  of  mother- 
hood and  the  privilege  of  living  for  the  children 
He  has  given  me.    Next  is  the  honor  of  being  a 


62  THE  DARJBELIXG  DISASTER 

missionary  of  the  Cross,  and  the  privilege  of 
living  for  the  women  and  children  of  Bengal."'^ 

Tired  mothers,  may  God  help  you  understand 
how  rich  you  are,  and  how  blessed  your  lot  with 
all  your  little  ones  about  your  feet.  Be  thankful 
and  murmur  not,  and  do  not  let  unnecessary 
work  crowd  out  of  your  life  the  time  you  need 
to  enjoy  their  prattle  and  play,  and  the  time 
necessary  to  teach  them  to  sing  and  to  pray  and 
to  love  God's  Word  while  they  are  young. 

I  repeat,  zvhile  they  are  young.  I  feel  their 
first  years  are  the  most  important  of  their  lives 
to  you.  My  antidotes  for  scolding  and  worry 
were  singing  and  story-telling,  Bible  stories  being 
the  favorites.  The  hours  spent  thus  did  me  as 
much  good  as  it  did  the  children,  with  whom  it 
was  a  delight.  Oh !  the  weight  of  the  story,  the 
value  of  the  word  of  encouragement,  the  power 
of  prayer  and  song  upon  the  children, — yes,  upon 
all.  No  one  of  us  rightly  realizes  this,  or  we 
would  use  them  more. 

How  proud  I  was  when  Herbert  came  and 
we  had  two  boys — ''a  team,"  as  Wilbur  called 
them.  He  was  born  August  31,  1888  (on  his 
grandmother's  birthday,  although  but  little 
chance  did  the  dear  boy  ever  have  to  enjoy  a 
a  grandmother's  love),  at  Saybrook,  Ohio,  U.  S. 
A.  He  weighed  eleven  pounds,  and  seemed  a 
baby  almost  three  months  old  to  begin  with. 

The  Sabbath  he  was  four  weeks  old  I  attempt- 


*From  Ada  Lee's  Book.  "Chundra  Lela." 


HERBERT  WILSON  63 

ed  to  get  all  four  children  ready  for  Church,  and 
told  my  husband  I  never  could  do  it ;  I  would 
have  to  give  up  going  to  church  while  they  were 
so  little.  His  answer  was,  "Well,  dear,  if  vou 
give  up  now  I  fear  you  will  never  go  again."  So 
I  got  ready  and  went,  and  did  it  every  Sunday 
afterwards.  I  found  about  this,  as  everything 
else  that  was  right  to  do,  that  there  was  a  zvay, 
and  the  children  need  not  be  a  hindrance,  but  if 
looked  at  in  the  right  light,  they  were  always  a 
help  and  a  blessing.  He  was  dedicated  in  church 
that  morning  by  the  rite  of  baptism,  we  thinking 
the  Lord  had  a  great  work  for  our  baby  boy  to 
do,  and  praying  for  strength  to  guide  him  to  it. 

When  six  months  old  he  came  nearly  dying 
with  pneumonia.  For  twelve  long  hours  one 
night  he  struggled  for  his  breath.  We  were  six 
miles  from  a  doctor.  The  snow  was  so  deep 
and  the  storm  so  great  no  one  dared  to  venture 
out.  We  did  all  we  knew ;  still  he  grew  worse. 
We  two  bent  over  him  all  the  night,  with  tears 
and  prayers,  begging  our  heavenly  Father  to 
spare  his  life.  Near  midnight  the  struggle  for 
breath  became  desperate.  I  could  hardly  hold 
him  in  my  arms.  I  felt  relief  must  come  soon, 
or  our  darling  would  leave  us.  We  had  done 
everything  in  our  power. 

In  our  helplessness,  his  papa  flung  himself 
down  on  the  bed  in  desperation  and  my  heart 
gave  one  agonizing  cry  to  God  for  help.  With 
this  Mr.  Lee  sprang  to  his  feet,  saying,  ''Why, 
Ada,  you  forget  that  opossum  oil  the  old  lady 


64  THE  DARJBBUNG  DISASTER 

brought  you  some  weeks  ago.  It  can  do  no 
harm;  give  him  some."  He  handed  it  to  me, 
and  warming  a  spoonful  I  gave  it  to  him,  believ- 
ing God  had  told  us  what  to  do,  and  in  a  few 
minutes  the  phlegm  was  thrown  up.  He  was 
immediately  relieved,  and  before  morning  was 
able  to  take  nourishment  and  was  soon  well 
again. 

Herbert  was  different  from  all  the  rest.  From 
his  boyhood  he  was  a  child  with  a  determination 
seldom  equalled.  He  would  attempt  the  impos- 
sible, and  it  nearly  killed  him  to  fail  or  to  have 
to  give  up  anything  he  wished  to  do.  This  used 
to  give  us  trouble,  until  we  learned  better  how  to 
manage  him.  There  was  no  "give  up"  to  him. 
I  used  to  say  to  his  papa,  ''The  only  thing  to  do 
with  Herbert  is  to  make  the  thing  right  that  he 
wishes  to  do,"  so  together  we  learnt  to  shift  the 
little  fellow  about  and  to  guide  him  into  the  right 
and  then  let  him  drive  ahead. 

He  was  the  most  tender-hearted  child  I  ever 
knew.  He  was  wonderfully  fond  of  music,  of 
which  he  had  no  little  share  in  his  make-up. 
There  was  a  young  lady  who  used  to  visit  us  who 
was  a  noted  whistler.  The  little  fellow  caught 
it  up,  and  used  to  creep  about  the  floor  whistling, 
and  before  he  could  walk  he  could  hum  the  tune, 
"There  is  a  land  that  is  fairer  than  day."  How 
I  used  to  delight  in  singing  to  him.  he  humming 
with  me  the  tune  before  he  could  talk.  It  was 
just  as  easy  for  him  to  learn  his  books,  and  no 
one  ever  taught  him  his  letters, — he  learned  them 


HERBERT  WILSON  65 

by  hearing  the  others  recite  them,  and  while  only 
a  wee  tot  used  to  surprise  us  by  his  achievements 
with  his  pencil  on  the  nursery  blackboard. 

He  was  converted  when  only  five  years  old. 
He  deliberately  and  definitely  gave  himself  to 
Jesus  once  and  forever  in  a  children's  service  held 
at  a  camp-meeting  one  Sunday  afternoon.  He 
dated  his  new  birth  from  that  hour,  and  never 
hesitated  to  tell  any  one  when  and  where  he  gave 
himself  to  Jesus.  Ever  after  that  day,  his  even- 
ing prayer  was  a  settling  up  with  God  the  ac- 
counts of  the  day. 

Often  it  had  to  be  done  with  tears,  for  his  im- 
petuous nature  repeatedly  got  him  into  trouble 
with  others,  and  the  difficulty  he  had  in  yielding 
the  point,  or  giving  up  what  he  had  undertaken, 
used  to  lead  to  slight  exaggerations  or  little  sto- 
ries, which  he  called  his  ''besetting  sin."  Gain- 
ing the  battle  in  discussions  sometimes  led  to  hot 
words.     These  all  had  to  be  repented  of. 

Our  Sunday  evening  prayer-meeting  with  the 
children  was  the  special  time  of  reviewing  the 
week's  work,  with  its  temptations  and  triumphs 
or  failures.  Such  a  time  as  this  used  to  be! 
With  Herbert  it  was  usually  a  time  of  confession, 
with  tears  for  failures  to  live  up  to  the  high 
standard  we  had  before  us,  of  what  the  Bible  said 
our  lives  should  be.  So  common  was  it  for  him, 
in  praying,  to  break  down  and  cry,  that  little 
Esther  in  late  years  used  to  say  on  Sunday  even- 
ing, "Come,  children,  let's  go  to  mamma  now; 
it's  time  to  pray  and  cry." 

Herbert  was  so  anxious  to  become  a  member 


66  THE  DARJBELING  DISASTER 

of  the  Church,  and  to  partake  of  the  Lord's  Sup- 
per that,  often,  his  earnest  entreaties  bewildered 
us.  After  coming  to  Calcutta  he  would  give  us 
no  rest  on  Communion  Sunday.  I  would  say  to 
him,  "Herbert,  I  fear  you  do  not  understand  what 
it  means." 

''Well,  mamma,  you  tell  me  it's  to  remember 
Jesus'  death.  I  love  Him ;  do  I  not  want  to  re- 
member His  death,  too?  I  try  to  please  Him 
every  day,  and  I  belong  to  Him.  Why  should  I 
not  take  the  sacrament  with  you?" 

I  could  resist  him  no  longer,  and  when  he  was 
but  little  past  six  years  old  he  was  permitted  to 
kneel  with  us  at  the  Lord's  table  and  take  Com- 
munion, a  sacred  privilege  which  we  have  all 
enjoyed  together  for  the  past  five  years. 

I  never  saw  two  brothers  more  devoted  to  each 
other  than  he  and  Wilbur,  and  I  have  known 
months  to  pass  without  a  single  jar  between 
them.  They  were  together  in  everything;  what 
one  had  the  other  had.  Even  in  their  lessons, 
they  studied  together,  until  during  this  last  year, 
Wilbur  failing  in  his  examination  led  to  Her- 
bert's being  promoted  to  a  class  higher,  a  state  of 
things  which  we  greatly  regretted,  and  which  re- 
quired much  wise  management,  on  our  part,  on 
account  of  the  thoughtless  remarks  dropped  by 
others  as  to  the  younger  being  brighter  than  the 
older,  etc.  But  even  this  God  overruled,  I  be- 
lieve, for  good. 

Herbert  was  full  of  life  and  activity.  It  was 
cruel  to  make  him  sit  still.     He  was  fond  of  his 


HERBERT  WILSON  67 

violin,  and  had  learned  to  play  many  pieces  for 
us.  How  proud  I  was  of  our  boy  and  of  his 
straight,  manly  little  form  as  he  stood  up  to  play 
in  concert  with  his  brother,  his  sister  Lois  play- 
ing the  organ,  and  Vida  often  joining  them  with 
her  guitar. 

"Blue  Bells  of  Scotland,"  "Annie  Laurie," 
"The  Old  Folks  at  Home,"  and  "Home,  Sweet 
Home,"  as  well  as  many  of  the  dear  old  hymns, 
such  as  "Oh  for  a  thousand  tongues  to  sing,"  and 
"What  can  wash  away  my  sins?"  used  to  make 
our  home  ring  with  joy  and  have  become  doubly 
sacred  to  us.  It  seems  to  me  sometimes  that  I 
can  never  sing  again  until  He  comes  and  takes 
us  home. 

Herbert  would  take  up  a  new  piece  and  insist 
on  playing  it  when  he  had  not  tried  it  before. 
Nothing  would  daunt  or  discourage  him,  and  I 
used  to  silence  the  dissenting  voices  of  the  others 
by  saying,  "Let  him  try  it,  children,  even  if  he 
fails."  He  would  turn  to  me,  so  grateful,  and 
say,  "Mamma,  they  think  I  can't;  but  just  listen: 
I  will  show  them  I  can." 

Sure  enough,  he  would  surprise  us  all  with  the 
degree  of  accuracy  with  which  he  was  able  to 
execute  it.  Oh  that  darling  boy !  With  what 
delight  now  that  spirit,  unfettered,  must  dive 
into  the  unknown  and  untried  of  heaven !  How 
I  picture  his  beaming  face  as  he  succeeds  up 
there !  We  had  hoped  he  would  be  a  preacher 
and  do  a  wonderful  work  for  God.     The  Lord 


68  THE  DARJBBLING  DISASTER 

will  not  disappoint  us  in  spite  of  the  mists  which 
hang  over  us  now. 

He  was  so  tender-hearted ;  he  would  give  away 
almost  his  last  penny,  and  he  delighted  to  take 
out  a  card  and  write  on  it  his  regular  gift  of  two 
annas  each  Sunday  evening  from  his  pocket 
money  for  the  church  collection.  He  could  not 
bear  to  see  others  suffer,  and  had  many  friends 
among  the  poor,  and  the  native  people.  He  was 
a  great  boy  for  fun,  and  was  tempted  sometimes 
to  go  too  far. 

A  year  before  they  left  us,  the  two  boys  went 
Dn  top  of  the  flat  roof  which  was  without  balus- 
trades, to  play,  a  place  where  they  had  been  for- 
bidden to  go.  In  their  fun  Herbert  sprang  back, 
not  knowing  he  was  so  near  the  edge.  He 
stepped  off  backwards,  falling  nearly  twenty  feet 
to  the  stone  steps  below.  We  were  afraid  to  look 
at  him,  thinking,  of  course,  he  was  dashed  to 
pieces.  He  was  greatly  shaken  up,  but  not  a  bone 
was  broken,  nor  was  there  hardly  a  scratch  or 
bruise. 

As  we  laid  him  on  the  bed  nearly  wild  with 
anxiety,  he  assured  us  he  was  not  hurt ;  that  God 
had  sent  an  angel  who  caught  him  and  saved  him 
from  falling  hard.  He  quoted  that  verse  in  the 
91st  Psalm:  "He  shall  give  his  angels  charge 
over  thee  to  keep  thee  in  all  thy  ways ;  they  shall 
bear  thee  up  in  their  hands,  lest  thou  dash  thy 
foot  against  a  stone,"  and  said,  ''Mamma,  that  i? 
my  verse.  How  good  God  was  to  save  me !  1 
would  not  like  to  have  died  disobeying  you  and 


HBRBBRT  WILSON  69 

papa/'  and  he  could  not  rest  until  he  had  sought 
and  found  pardon. 

He  had  many  verses  so  fixed  that  he  could  un- 
hesitatingly repeat  them  and  tell  where  they  were 
found.  He  had  a  special  liking  for  Malachi  3 : 
16-17,  ''Then  they  that  feared  the  Lord  spake 
often  one  to  another,  and  the  Lord  hearkened 
and  heard  it,  and  the  book  of  remembrance  was 
written  before  him ....  And  they  shall  be  mine, 
saith  the  Lord  of  hosts,  in  that  day  when  I  make 
up  my  jewels.''  Another  favorite  was  Rev.  22  wy, 
"And  the  Spirit  and  the  bride  say  come,  and  let 
him  that  heareth  say  come,  and  let  him  that  is 
athirst  come,  and  whosoever  will,  let  him  take 
the  water  of  life  freely." 

He  was  greatly  interested  in  a  concert  given 
the  Saturday  evening  before  that  terrible  night, 
and  was  busy  selling  tickets  and  inviting  friends 
to  come.  This  was  his  last  work  of  the  kind. 
He  was  only  eleven  years  old,  but  could  be  trust- 
ed to  transact  business,  and  helped  us  in  many 
ways  in  our  work.  They  were  both  naturally 
strong,  healthy,  rollicking  boys,  and  it  does 
not  seem  possible  that  we  can  live  without 
them.  I  am  thankful — oh !  so  thankful,  for  the 
assurance  that  they  are  living  to-day,  active  and 
happy  in  the  homeland,  and  are  getting  up  many 
little  surprises  for  us  and  counting  the  days, — not 
until  they  can  come  to  us,  but  until  we  shall  come 
home  to  them. 

In  our  rambles  they  used  to  enjoy  running 
up  a  pakdandi  (a  short  cut)  in  the  mountains  and 


70  THE  DARJBBLING  DISASTER 

coming  out  ahead  of  us  on  some  higher  elevation, 
and  then  waiting  for  us,  and  greeting  us  with 
some  new  thing  they  had  found — a  flower,  orchid 
or  fern.  They  have  only  gone  a  shorter  cut  and 
beaten  us  home,  and  are  waiting  for  our  slower, 
weary  feet  to  reach  home  by  the  longer  way. 
Then — oh  the  greeting!  We  can  hardly  await 
the  dawning  of  that  bright  morning,  the  begin- 
ning of  that  beautiful,  endless  day.  Until  then 
we  shall  travel  with  our  eyes  fixed  on  the  eternal 
city,  and  our  hearts  rejoicing  even  here  in  the 
hope  of  the  glory  awaiting  us, 

"Some  day,"  we  say,  and  turn  our  eyes 
Toward  the  fair  hills  of  Paradise; 
Some  day,  some  time,  a  sweet  new  rest 
Shall  blossom,  flower-like,  in  each  breast. 
Some  day,  some  time,  our  eyes  shall  see 
The  faces  kept  in  memory ; 
Some  day  their  hand  shall  clasp  our  hand, 
Just  over   in   the   Morning-land — 
O  Morning-land  !     O   M'orning-land  ! 

— Edzvavd  H.  Phelps. 


CHAPTER  VI. 
Ada  Eunice:. 

■'Saviour,  for  the  little  one 

Safely  gathered  in  Thine  arms, 
Ere  the  battle  had  begun, 

Victor,  spared  from  war's  alarms, 
W^  who  toil  and  struggle  sing 

Praise   to   Thee,   the   children's   King." 

Ada  Eunice  was  named  by  her  papa, — Ada  for 
me.  I  called  her  Eunice,  ''Happy  Victory,"  say- 
ing, "With  her  God  will  give  me  victory  in  rais- 
ing our  missionary  fund  for  India."  Ada,  my 
name-sake,  my  little  curly-head,  how  can  I  write 
about  her !  I  can  never  picture  her  life  so  others 
can  understand.  We  were  so  proud  of  her.  If 
she  were  someone  else's  child  I  should  say  she 
seemed  perfect,  physically  and  mentally.  She 
had  feet  and  ankles  like  a  deer;  was  as  fleet  as 
the  wind ;  could  climb  like  a  squirrel,  and  was  the 
companion  of  her  two  older  brothers  in  all  their 
walks  and  rambles,  and  they  liked  it  because  she 
could  go  wherever  they  could,  and  seemed  per- 
fectly fearless.  She  was  full  of  play  and  mis- 
chief; entered  into  all  their  games  and  races; 
could  ride  or  walk  equal  to  any  of  them — just  the 
kind  of  a  sister  brothers  Hke  to  have  about.  She 
seemed  gifted  in  many  ways.  For  one  so  young 
she  wrote  a  beautiful  hand,  was  neat  at  sewing, 
and  loved  music  and  flowers  passionately. 

71 


n  "THB  DARJBBLING  DISASTER 

Oh,  how  much  we  hoped  for  this  child  in  the 
future !  I  am  glad  for  the  faith  we  have  that  our 
dreams  for  her  are  not  to  be  disappointed;  that 
she  will  have  unbounded  opportunity  for  the  de- 
velopment of  those  faculties  we  so  admired,  and 
when  we  see  our  beautiful  Ada  again  we  will  be 
satisfied  to  a  degree  we  never  could  have  been 
here. 

She  was  born  in  Dell  Roy,  Ohio,  U.  S.  A.,  Jan- 
uary 9th,  1 891,  and  was  baptized  the  following 
March  14th,  by  our  presiding  elder.  Dr.  R.  M. 
Freshwater.  She  soon  after  began  her  work  as  my 
companion  in  holding  missionary  meetings  in  dif- 
ferent parts  of  the  country,  helping  more  than  oth- 
ers could  ever  understand.  So  good  was  she,  that, 
night  after  night,  she  would  go  to  sleep  before  the 
service  and  sleep  until  all  was  over,  giving  no 
trouble  to  any  one.  One  night  after  a  longer 
service  than  usual,  on  returning  and  finding  her 
sound  asleep  and  happy,  her  uncle  said  to  me, 
"Well,  Ada,  I  think  your  babies  are  made  to  or- 
der; they  seem  never  to  interfere  with  your 
work."  And  so  it  seemed.  It  was  during  her 
babyhood  that  the  fund  for  our  return  to  India 
was  raised,  so  she  travelled  many  thousand  miles 
with  her  mother  during  the  first  two  years  of 
her  life. 

When  thirteen  months  old  she  took  a  trip  of 
seven  days,  by  train,  to  California.  We  had  word 
that  my  mother  was  dying,  and  she  wished  so 
much  to  see  me.  Our  engine  broke  down  the 
night  before  we  entered  Denver,  Colorado,  and 


ADA  BUNICB  73 

we  were  delayed  several  hours.  I  remember  how 
earnestly  I  prayed  that  the  train  with  which  we 
were  to  connect  in  Denver  might  be  detained  so 
we  might  catch  it.  I  felt  so  sure  that  the  Lord 
was  planning  this  trip  for  a  purpose,  and  believed 
he  would  not  let  me  and  my  baby  miss  the  train. 
When  we  arrived,  to  my  great  disappointment 
the  train  had  left  two  hours  before,  and  there  was 
no  other  train  until  night,  and  I  must  spend  the 
day  in  some  strange  hotel.  I  left  it  all  with  Jesus 
and  sought  out  a  hotel  and  sat  down  to  think.  I 
turned  over  the  leaves  of  my  address-book,  and 
found  the  name  of  a  gentleman  whom  I  had  never 
seen,  but  who  had  written  to  me  sending  an  offer- 
ing for  our  fund  from  his  Sabbath-school  class 
in  Trinity  Church.  I  found  his  office  was  just 
near  the  hotel.  I  sent  him  a  note,  and  soon  after 
he  called.  I  asked  him  if  there  was  anything  I 
could  do  during  the  day.  He  told  me  that,  not 
knowing  beforehand,  he  could  not  leave  his  office, 
but  he  would  give  me  a  letter  of  introduction  to 
two  of  the  leading  ladies  of  the  church,  and  if  I 
would  call  on  them  they  would  be  able  to  open 
up  work  for  me.  It  was  a  cold,  stormy  day,  the 
snow  filling  the  air,  almost  blinding  one's  eyes. 
While  talking,  he  noticed  my  baby  on  the  floor 
near  me,  and  said,  "Is  this  your  baby,  Mrs.  Lee  ?" 
I  answered  in  the  affirmative.  "Oh,  then  it  will 
be  impossible  for  you  to  go  out." 

"Oh,  no,"  I  said,  "she  is  my  partner  in  my 
mission  work  and  always  helps  me." 

So  I  went,  and  the  baby,  as  well  as  I.  met 


74  THE  DARJBBLING  DISASTER 

friends  who  have  ever  since  been  active  helpers 
in  our  work.  From  this  opened  up  a  whole 
week's  campaign  in  Denver  which  we  conducted 
on  my  return  trip  a  month  later.  This  campaign 
was  characterized  by  two  very  large  and  influen- 
tial gatherings  which  did  more  than  we  can  ever 
tell  for  our  mission  work.  With  a  fresh,  delicious 
luncheon  for  the  road,  I  returned  in  time  to  catch 
the  train  in  the  evening,  and  hastened  on  west- 
ward to  California. 

When  I  reached  my  mother  I  found  her  much 
better,  all  of  which  God  knew  and  I  did  not,  or  I 
would  not  have  murmured  when  the  train  broke 
down  and  my  plans  seemed  frustrated.  This 
taught  me  a  lesson  that  I  have  learned  many 
times  over:  that  God  leads  us  in  the  right  way 
even  when  everything  seems  to  be  going  wrong. 

The  companionship  of  Ada,  but  little  more 
than  a  year  old,  on  that  trip  and  during  my  mis- 
sionary campaign  in  Southern  California,  I  shall 
never  forget.  As  we  crossed  the  Great  American 
Desert,  and  after  long  hours  of  confinement  in  the 
train,  on  reaching  the  stations,  she  would  race 
from  one  end  of  the  platform  to  the  other  so 
rapidly  that  she  seemed  almost  to  fly.  She  was 
such  a  mite  that  it  attracted  everyone's  attention. 
Even  the  Indians  and  squaws  who  had  gathered 
at  the  station  to  see  the  train,  would  call  out, 
''Och !  papoose,  papoose!"  ("The  baby!  the 
baby!")  At  another  time  during  her  second 
year  she  went  with  me  on  a  missionary  trip. 
After  arranging  the  home  affairs  so  they  could 


•       ADA  BUNICB  75 

get  on  without  us  for  a  few  days,  we  drove  five 
miles  to  catch  a  train.  We  had  agreed  to  be 
present  at  a  certain  place  in  time  for  a  meeting 
in  the  afternoon,  and  had  been  praying  much 
concerning  it.  When  we  drove  up  to  the  station, 
imagine  our  dismay  to  find  the  time-table  had 
changed  and  our  train  had  left  two  minutes  be- 
fore. Three  or  four  hours  must  pass  before  an- 
other train  would  be  due  and  this  would  take  us 
in  too  late  for  our  first  engagement.  It  seemed  at 
first  God  was  against  us.  I  said  to  my  husband, 
"It  will  be  so  hard  for  Baby  Ada  to  wait  so  long 

at  the  station.    Drive  us  up  to  Mrs. ,  whom  I 

have  met  before,  and  I  will  wait  at  her  house." 

We  drove  up,  and  alighting  with  baby  in  my 
arms  I  mounted  the  steps  and  rang  the  door-bell. 

Mrs.  met  me  herself,  and  exclaimed,  "Oh, 

Mrs.  Lee!  who  told  you  I  was  wanting  to  see 
you  so  badly  ?  I  was  just  about  to  write  for  you. 
Come  in,"  and  giving  me  a  seat,  she  began  to 
talk.  I  found  her  in  great  distress  of  mind.  She 
had  sometime  before  lost  her  only  child,  and 
Satan  had  taken  advantage  of  her  in  time  of  sor- 
row and  had  gotten  her  to  doubting  God,  and  she 
had  almost  decided  there  was  no  hope  of  her  own 
salvation. 

We  had  a  good  time  together  with  God's  Word 
and  in  prayer,  and  she  was  greatly  comforted 
and  helped.  She  then  told  me  she  wished,  in  the 
name  of  this  child  whom  God  had  taken,  to  build 
a  room  in  our  mission  house  for  our  native  work 
in  India,  costing  $300,  (Rs.  900),  to  be  paid  in 


76  THE  DARJBBLING  DISASTER 

yearly  installments  of  $50  each.  I  thanked  God 
for  this,  and  hurried  away  to  the  train,  and  on 
arriving  later  in  the  afternoon  I  found  that  on 
account  of  some  picnic  the  meeting"  had  been  ar- 
ranged for  the  evening  instead  of  the  afternoon, 
and  that  I  was  in  plenty  of  time  for  it. 

All  this  God  had  arranged,  and  the  missing  of 
the  train  was  only  a  part  of  his  great  plan  that 
he  might  turn  me  aside  to  do  another  errand  for 
him,  and  in  doing  this,  accomplished  more  for 
the  work  itself  than  anything  I  had  planned* 
Now,  when  He  takes  our  darling  girl,  for  whom 
we  had  planned  so  much,  although  it  seems  so 
hard  and  we  cannot  now  see  why,  yet  we  do  be- 
lieve with  all  our  hearts  that  our  Father  has 
planned  it  all,  and  that  one  day  we  will  praise 
Him  for  all  the  way  He  has  led  us. 

In  all  our  travels  before,  and  when  on  our  way 
to  India,  Ada  was  the  favorite  with  everyone, 
making  friends  both  for  herself  and  us  wherever 
she  went.  She  was  so  interested  in  all  the  sights, 
and  shared  in  all  the  enjoyments  along  the  way. 
In  London  she  insisted  on  going  with  her  papa 
and  the  other  children  wherever  they  went. 

I  got  the  benefit  of  the  day's  sight-seeing  in 
her  childish  recitals  to  wee  Esther,  in  baby  talk, 
of  all  that  had  occurred  while  they  were  out:  "I 
have  been  to  see  the  great  Bittish  Museum.  Oo 
ought  to  been  'ere  too.  We  saw  big  kings  and 
elephants,  and  pitty  itty  angels  wif  wings.  But 
mustn't  touch ;  if  00  do,  a  great  big  policeman 
would  take  00  away  to  jail.     Then,  too,  we  saw 


ADA  BUNICB  77 

such  lots  of  pigeons,  and  beautiful  green  grass — 
wif  no  'keep  off  the  grass'  on  it  either.  We  could 
roll  and  play  all  over  it.  Baby  sister,  wouldn't  00 
like  to  see  the  Bittish  Museum  ?" 

Her  fearlessness  often  led  her  into  trouble. 
Soon  after  we  arrived  in  Calcutta,  when  she  was 
only  four  years  of  age,  a  boy  with  his  little  drum 
and  monkey  came  along.  Ada  was  delighted  with 
the  tricks  played,  and  the  novelty  of  everything 
seemed  to  charm  her.  The  next  evening  she 
heard  him  coming,  but  he  did  not  stop.  After  a 
while  our  Ada  was  missing.  The  house  and  the 
compound  were  searched,  but  no  trace  could  be 
found  of  her. 

It  began  to  grow  dark ;  everyone  was  anxious, 
and  we  flew  up  and  down  the  street  in  search  of 
her.  After  a  while  she  was  found  standing  in  a 
street  in  another  part  of  the  city,  crying.  Some 
gentleman  gathered  from  what  she  said,  some- 
thing about  the  direction  from  which  she  had 
come,  and  led  her  down  the  street.  After  a  while 
she  espied  the  house,  and  turning  to  him  said, 
''See!  this  is  where  my  papa  lives."  We  asked 
her  where  she  had  been.  She  began  to  cry,  and 
said,  "Mamma,  I  only  went  to  find  the  monkey- 
boy,  but  I  don't  know  where  his  house  is." 

She  became  interested  in  kindergarten  work, 
and  the  kindergarten  songs  and  plays  were  a  part 
of  our  home  life.  A  year  ago  she  became  very 
anxious  to  learn  to  read  her  Bible,  and  so  deter- 
mined was  she  that  in  a  very  few  weeks  she  was 
able  to  read  with  us  at  prayer  time.     Her  papa 


78  THE  DARJBBLING  DISASTER 

gave  her  a  Bible  of  her  own,  of  which  she  was 
very  proud,  and  was  constantly  finding  special 
verses  in  it,  many  of  which  she  had  beautifully 
memorized. 

Her  favorites  were,  "They  that  trust  in  th; 
Lord  shall  be  as  Mount  Zion,  which  cannot  be 
removed,  but  abideth  forever ;  as  the  mountains 
are  round  about  Jerusalem,  so  the  Lord  is  round 
about  his  people  from  henceforth,  even  forever." 
Ps.  125 :  I,  2. 

And  another,  "Thou  wilt  keep  him  in  perfect 
peace  whose  mind  is  stayed  on  thee,  because  he 
trusteth  in  thee ;  trust  ye  in  the  Lord  forever, 
for  in  the  Lord  Jehovah  is  everlasting  strength." 
Isaiah  26 :  3,  4. 

The  grand  meaning  of  these  verses  must  have 
flashed  into  the  mind  of  this  darling  girl  during 
that  last  hour  on  earth,  when,  having  none  else 
to  whom  they  could  look  for  help,  that  precious 
little  group  cast  themselves  on  God,  and  His 
presence  was  so  real  that  even  the  younger  chil- 
dren rejoiced  in  Him,  and  that  hour  of  terror 
was  turned  into  an  hour  of  joy  and  victory.  He 
failed  them  not ;  He  Himself  became  their  refuge  ; 
and  although  all  material  things  were  utterly  de- 
stroyed, our  Ada  abideth  forever. 

She  had  a  joyful  summer  in  school,  romping 
and  playing,  climbing  and  racing  all  over  those 
beautiful  mountains.  Her  part  in  our  little  Sun- 
day evening  prayer-meeting  was  always  very  real 
and  striking  to  me.  She  often  asked  God  for  a 
new  heart,  but  she  definitely  sought  Jesus  one 


ADA  BUNICB  79 

Sunday  evening  a  few  weeks  before  their  trans- 
lation, Vida  and  all  the  other  children  helping  her 
with  their  prayers.  She  accepted  Him  and  re- 
ceived such  peace  and  joy  that  even  her  very 
countenance  was  changed. 

In  her  last  letter,  written  the  day  before  the 
land  slip,  she  speaks  of  her  desire  to  have  always 
a  pure  heart. 

We  do  thank  God  that  our  darling  is  now  like 
Jesus,  rejoicing  in  His  presence,  and  that  when 
Jesus  comes  He'  will  bring  them  all  with  Him, 
and  when  we  see  her  glorified  body  we  shall  then 
be  satisfied  and  she  shall  be  ours  forever. 

"  'Till  He  come !'     Oh,  let  the  words 
Liiiger  on  the  trembh'ng  chords. 
Let  the  little  while  between 
In  their  golden  light  be  seen. 
Let  us  think  how  heaven  and  home 
Lie  beyond  that — 'till  Hie  come.' 

"When  the  weary  ones  we  love 
Enter  on  their  rest  above, 
Seems  the  Earth  so  poor  and  vast, 
All  our  life  joy  overcast? 
Hush  !     Be  every  murmur  dumb  : 
It  is  only  'till  He  come.' 

"See,  the  feast  of  love  is  spread. 
Drink  the  wine,  and  break  the  bread. 
Sweet  memorials, — till  the  Lord 
Call  us  'round  His  heav'nly  board  : 
Some  from  Earth,  from  Glory  some, 
Sever'd  only  'till   He  come.'" 


CHAPTER  Vll 
Esthe:r  De:nne:tt. 

The  gates  of  life  swing  either  way 
On  noiseless  hinges  night  and  day. 
One  enters  through  the  open  door, 
One  leaves  to  return  no  more. 
And  which  is  happier,  which  more  blest, 
God  knoweth  best. 

We  greet  with  smiles  the  one  who  comes 
Like  sunshine  to  our  hearts  and  homes. 
And  reach  out  longing  hands  with  tears 
To  him  who  in  his  ripened  years 
Goes  gladly  to  his  heavenly  rest. 
God  knoweth  best. 

He  guards  the  gates.    We  need  not  dread 
The  path  these  little  feet  must  tread, 
Nor  fear  of  him  who  from  our  sight 
Passed  through  them  to  the  realms  of  light. 
Both  in  His  loving  care  we  rest. 
God  knoweth  best. 

— Mary  Wheat  on  Lyon. 

Our  little  Queen  Esther  was  born  in  Mountain 
Lake  Park,  Maryland,  U.  S.  A.,  August  24,  1894. 
We  were  stopping  in  Hotel  Dennett,  a  rest  home 
for  weary  workers  in  the  Lord's  vineyard.  We 
were  there  at  the  urgent  request  of  its  founder, — 
that  noble  man,  A.  W.  Dennett.  He  wished  us  to 
spend  our  last  four  months  in  America  in  that  de- 

80 


<! 

o 

< 


w 


ESTHER  DENNETT.  8i 

lightful  place,  called  by  many  ''the  nearest  spot 
on  earth  to  heaven."  We  had  with  us  in  the  rest 
home  about  fifty  missionaries  and  other  workers, 
so  Baby  Esther  had  a  warm  welcome;  and  after 
we  had  named  her  Esther — saying  surely  "She 
had  come  to  the  kingdom  for  such  a  time  as  this" 
— our  friends  added  the  name  Dennett. 

She  was  baptized  and  dedicated  to  God  Septem- 
ber lo,  the  dear,  white-headed  ''Bishop  Thomson" 
performing  the  rite ;  and  we  all  prayed  that  she 
might  indeed  be  a  Queen  among  Missionaries. 
She  went  to  hold  her  first  missionary  meeting, 
with  her  mother,  when  but  four  weeks  old,  and 
did  very  well.  She  sailed  for  India  when  seven 
weeks  old,  with  her  five  brothers  and  sisters,  and 
was  the  best  sailor  and  gave  the  least  trouble  of 
them  all. 

After  six  weeks  she  reached  Calcutta,  still  in  a 
good  humor  with  the  world  and  all  about  her. 
Our  native  people  called  her  Ranee  (Queen). 
She  was  a  hearty,  healthy  child  with  fair  curls 
and  a  very  affectionate  disposition.  Her  short 
life  seems  like  a  flash  of  sunshine.  She  had  a 
baby  sister,  whose  name  was  Ruth,  whom  she  had 
never  seen,  who  went  to  heaven  after  being  with 
us  three  short  weeks.  She  had  heard  from  the 
others  about  her,  and  she  used  to  trouble  us  some- 
times by  her  questions  concerning  her  and  heaven, 
often  ending  up  by  saying,  "Mamma,  I  want  to 
go  up  to  heaven  and  play  with  Baby  Ruth." 
What  a  grand  time  these  angel  babies  must  be 
having  together  these  days ! 


82  THE  DARJBBLING  DISASTER 

She  was  very  fond  of  the  Httle  Hindu  girls  who 
came  to  school  at  our  house.  She  had  a  special 
favorite — a  very  dear  little  girl,  Indu  Bala,  with 
whom  she  played  nearly  every  day. 

She  could  not  bear  to  see  a  little  child  in  dis- 
tress or  danger,  and  often  came  to  me  crying, 
begging  me  to  go  to  the  help  of  some  one. 

The  year  after  our  baby  girl  was  in  heaven,  her 
little  friend,  Indu  Bala,  was  married,  only  six 
years  old.  How  our  hearts  ached  for  the  lovely 
child;  but,  being  a  Hindu,  our  pleading  for  her 
was  vain.  She  was  taken  away  and  not  allowed 
to  attend  school.  Her  father's  answer  was  that 
he  must  submit  to  the  rules  of  his  caste,  which 
insisted  on  child  marriage.  Such  a  fate  is  worse 
than  death.  How  much  happier  were  the  trio 
to-day,  if  together  they  roamed  the  fields  of  glory 
where  there  is  "fullness  of  joy"  and  "pleasures 
forever  more."  This  only  strengthened  my  deter- 
mination to  spend  my  life  in  fighting  these  cruel 
customs,  and  in  doing  what  I  could  to  save  inno- 
cent children  from  child  marriage  and  widow- 
hood. 

Esther  had  taken  part  with  us  in  a  few  lessons 
in  physical  exercise.  From  that  time  she  was 
continually  reminding  us  to  keep  erect  at  the 
table,  out  walking,  and  wherever  we  might  be  to- 
gether, by  saying,  "Hips  back,  mamma,"  "Main- 
tain position,  maintain  position,  mamma."  Her 
wise  little  speeches — how  we  yearn  to  hear  them 
again. 


nSTHBR  DBNNBTT.  83 

She  was  very  original  in  her  prayers,  and  it 
was  a  source  of  great  joy  to  us — not  unmingled 
with  amusement — to  hear  her  lead  in  prayer  at 
the  family  circle  or  alone  at  her  bedside.  She 
used  often  to  say,  "Oh,  Lord,  don't  bess  the  peo- 
ple only  dat  are  good,  but  bess  the  bad  people  too 
— all  the  people  in  the  whole  world."  She  would 
tell  God  about  everything.  If  her  bunnie  was 
hurt,  or  she  had  broken  her  dolly,  she  seemed  to 
have  great  comfort  in  telling  Him  about  it.  Once 
while  at  the  hills,  she  heard  of  my  suffering  with 
the  heat  in  Calcutta,  and  that  evening  in  her 
prayer  she  was  heard  to  say,  "Oh,  God,  send 
mamma  lots  of  wind."  In  the  last  little  Sunday 
evening  prayer-meeting  at  which  we  all  knelt  as 
a  family  together,  she  prayed,  "Oh,  Lord,  bless 
not  only  dis  family,  but  all  de  families  in  de  whole 
world." 

She  was  a  great  singer.  Her  special  favorites 
were,  "Jesus  Loves  Me,"  "The  Mothers  of  Sa- 
lem," "Suffer  little  children  to  come  unto  Me," 
and  "When  He  cometh  to  make  up  His  jewels." 
She  had  several  Scripture  verses  memorized.  The 
last  one  she  learned  perfectly,  was,  "Show  me 
Thy  ways,  O  Lord,  teach  me  Thy  paths."  Psa. 
25  :  4.  Our  darling  baby  girl !  How  far  ahead 
of  us  is  she  to-day  in  understanding  God's  ways ! 
We  seem  lost  without  her  childish  prattle,  and 
long  to  feel  again  her  arms  twine  about  our  neck. 

She  was  with  us  in  Calcutta  until  within  a  few 
weeks  of  that  terrible  disaster.  She  went  up 
with  her  papa,  as  she  said,  to  take  care  of  him, 


84  THE  DARJEHLING  DISASTER 

when  he  went  to  visit  the  children,  and  she  re- 
mained with  them.  We  permitted  her  to  stay, 
thinking  it  best  for  her,  and  afterwards  every  at- 
tempt to  get  her  down  seemed  frustrated.  It 
must  be  God  had  need  of  her  and  could  not  spare 
her  to  us.  I  shall  never  forget  our  last  few  mo- 
ments together  before  she  took  the  train  for  Dar- 
jeeling  when  she  assured  me  she  would  not  for- 
get to  say  her  prayers,  neither  would  she  quarrel 
with  sister — "For,  mamma,  if  I  did  those  things, 
then  God  would  not  be  pleased."  Little  did  I 
think  that  was  the  last  time  I  should  ever  see  our 
darling.  No  wonder  it  nearly  killed  me  to  see 
her  go. 

Her  little  hand  waving  from  the  car  window, 
as  she  smiled  back  "good-by,"  was  the  last  time 
we  shall  see  that  dear  face — until  after  the  night 
is  over  and  we  see  her  beckoning  hands  in  the 
dawning  of  that  eternal  day,  and  when  they  will 
all  run  to  meet  us  and  welcome  us  home — then 
we  shall  have  them  all  again,  and  forever. 

O  what  are  all  my  sufferings  here 

If,  Lord,  thou  count  me  meet 
With  that  enraptured  host  to  appear 

Amd  worship  at  Thy  feet ! 

Give  joy  or  grief,  give  ease  or  pain, 

Take  life  or  friends  away, 
But  let  me  find  them  all  again 

In  that  eternal  day. 

— Charles  Wesley. 


CHAPTER  VIIL 

The:  Children's  Letters. 

Many  of  the  children's  best  and  most  interest- 
ing letters  had  been  sent  home  to  friends  before 
the  parents  knew  they  would  be  needed  for  such 
a  time.  The  following  are  extracts  from  some 
they  still  have  with  them: 

SoNADA,  July  4th,  1898. 
Monday  Night. 

My  Own  Szveet  Darling  Mamma: — You  are 
such  a  dear  good  mamma  to  send  me  that  pretty 
ribbon.    I  don't  really  deserve  such  a  nice  thing. 

We  were  all  delighted  with  our  presents.  Es- 
ther still  carries  her  watch  around  with  her,  and 
it  is  a  great  temptation  to  use  the  cup  in  the  same 
way. 

Lois  seemed  to  enjoy  her  birthday,  and  it  was 
not  until  to-day  that  she  discovered  that  one  of 
those  little  cakes  was  her  birthday  cake. 

To-day,  being  "America's  birthday,"  as  Wilbur 
says,  they  each  had  a  pistol  and  candy  ball,  and, 
even  Esther,  played  they  were  fighting  the  Eng- 
lish. The  boys  made  four  swords  on  purpose. 
The  four  marched,  while  they  sang  "The  Star- 
Spangled  Banner,"  also  sounding  their  whistles 
and  shouting  "Three  Cheers  for  the  Red,  White 
and  Blue." 

85 


86  THE  DARJBBLING  DISASTER 

In  the  evening,  I  played  on  my  guitar,  but  the 
dampness  let  down  the  soprano  string,  and  there 
was  a  great  discord.  I  soon  got  that  right,  but 
how  we  missed  your  voice.  I  never  was  made, 
like  you,  to  lead.  Esther  had  us  sing  that  verse 
over  twice : 

"When  I  was  playing  with  my  brother, 
Happy  was  I. 
Oh!  take  me  to  my  dear  old  mother, 
There  let  me  live  and  die." 

Then  she  said,  "Why  did  he  want  to  die  when 
he  got  to  his  mamma?"  So  papa  explained  it  to 
her,  but  she  was  sure  she  would  not  like  to  die 
when  she  got  to  you. 

I  have  all  the  stockings  washed  up  for  this 
week.  I  hardly  know  what  to  do  for  Herbert, 
poor  boy,  it  is  a  waste  of  that  good  yarn  of  mine 
to  mend  his  stockings. 

The  boys  were  so  delighted  because  papa  let 
them  go  to  Darjeeling  alone  to  do  the  Bazaar  and 
get  the  bread.  So  they  two  set  off  looking  very 
well  and  tidy ;  they  have  each  grown  about  three 
inches  since  papa  told  them  to  go  and  get  a  soup 
bone. 

Papa  says  for  you  to  remember  that  ''good 
women"  are  scarce  and  for  you  to  take  care  of 
yourself  there  in  the  heat.  I  am  so  glad  you  left 
Esther;  she  seems  to  enjoy  herself,  though  she 
does  miss  you  much.  She  is  better  now,  and  sits 
by  me  at  meals.  Kisses  from  us  all.  Papa  says 
everything  is  status  quo.  With  much  love,  good 
night,  mamma  dear.        Your  own  dearest 

ViDA. 


THE  CHILDREN'S  LETTERS  87 

DarjekivIng  Letters  Written  by  Vida  to  Her 
Parents  in  Calcutta. 

Vida's  letter  to  her  Father  on  his  birthday. 

June  28,  1899. 

My  Ozvn  Darlings: — It  is  almost  going  to  bed 
time,  but  we  wanted  to  send  papa  a  birthday  let- 
ter. I  hope  you  will  like  the  paper  cutter,  dear, 
it  is  from  us  all.  Many  happy  returns  of  the  day ; 
may  you  have  many  long  years  with  us  still,  as 
we  can't  get  on  without  you  yet.  We  are  going 
to  try  and  be  your  good  children,  especially  I,  and 
cheer  you  now  that  you  are  getting  older. 

I  want  to  be  really  and  truly  your  Vida  Maud, 
which  means,  you  know,  "your  beloved  heroine." 
I  wish  I  could  get  the  victory  over  self  and  be  a 
true  heroine. 

You  spoke  of  showing  the  people  that  I  can 
pass,  but  really  I  feel  very  discouraged  about  it. 
I  have  such  a  lot  to  learn, — but  you  have  enough 
to  worry  you  and  I  wanted  this  to  be  a  birthday 
letter. 

Now  the  children  are  all  nicely  fixed  in  the  train 
on  the  way  to  dreamland.  I  am  trying  to  be  their 
mother.  I  only  want  to  wish  you  again  many 
good  and  best  wishes  for  your  birthday,  papa, 
then  say  good-night. 

This  is  a  very  funny  birthday  letter,  it  is  only 
a  common  one,  but  I  think  you  will  count  it  as 
full  of  love  and  fondest  kisses  as  a  daughter  ever 
sent  her  father  and  mother.  Remember  me  now, 
as  always,  your  Vida  Maud. 


88  THE  DARJBBLING  DISASTER 

Letter  written  on  her  la^t  birthday  anniversary. 

July  26th,  1899. 

My  Ozvn  Precious  Mamma  and  Papa: — This 
has  been  one  of  the  happiest  biithdays  that  I  have 
ever  had.  I  woke  up  this  morning  and  found 
Wilbur,  Herbert,  Lois,  Ada  and  Jessudar  all 
around  me,  and  Ada  handed  me  a  slate  covered 
with  nice  things.  I  never  expected  anything,  and 
they  had  no  chance  to  go  to  the  Bazaar. 

But  I  felt  very  sorry  and  sad  to  think  how 
cross  I  have  been  to  them  so  often,  and  how 
mean  and  naughty  I  have  been  to  you  sometimes. 
How  can  you  love  me?    I  hate  myself. 

You  said  for  me  to  be  more  loving  and  gentle 
to  the  children  than  you  have  been.  Oh !  dear 
mamma,  I  will  never  be  half  so  good  as  you  are. 
I  only  wish  I  could  be  quarter  as  good ;  but  I  am 
really  trying,  and  pray  hard  that  I  may  get  the 
victory. 

Lois  gave  me  a  set  of  silver  locks  (links  and 
studs).  I  don't  think  she  should  have  spent  so 
much.  Wilbur  and  Herbert  gave  me  a  horse- 
shoe brooch,  silver — dear  boys !  Ada  gave  me 
some  pretty  flowers,  rosebuds  and  fuchsias, 
which  I  think  so  much  of.  Jessudar  gave  me  a 
string  of  beads.  Lois  slipped  and  hid  the  ribbon 
and  chocolates,  so  I  didn't  see  them  until  this 
morning,  so  it  was  such  a  surprise,  for  I  never 
expected  anything  else,  as  the  ribbons  you  sent  in 
Lois'  basket  I  took  for  my  birthday  present 
from  you,  and  I  thought  the  nuts  had  taken  the 
place  of  the  chocolates. 


THE  CHILDREN'S  LETTERS  89 

What  a  dear,  sweet  mamma  and  papa!  The 
books  are  just  beauties.  I  have  been  reading  a 
good  deal  in  that  book  that  Mr.  Ross  gave  Her- 
bert, about  Wichffe,  but  I  never  thought  I  would 
receive  his  biography  for  a  birthday  present,  and 
I  hear  so  much  about  Luther  in  history,  but  I 
knew  nothing  of  his  life,  and  the  life  of  Paul, 
too. 

Lois  has  an  examination  on  it  this  year  and 
:t  will  help  her,  besides  I  want  to  study  his  life 
myself.     Thank  you,  papa,  ever  so  much. 

I  do  want  biographies  and  now  we  have  six  to 
add  to  our  library, — Clive,  Nelson,  Wicliffe,  Law- 
rence, Livingstone,  and  Luther,  but  I  like  mine 
best. 

Mamma,  you  can't  guess  how  much  I  prize 
that  ribbon.  I  have  often  envied  other  girls  who 
had  that  kind  of  ribbon,  yet  I  did  not  exactly 
envy  them  either,  for  I  have  the  best  papa  and 
mamma  in  the  whole,  round  world.  Papa  said 
he  was  proud  of  me.  Oh,  you  will  never  know 
the  good  it  has  done  me  to  be  trusted  up  here 
with  the  children. 

I  wish  papa  could  have  come  down  the  hill 
and  had  part  of  my  lovely  birthday  tea  that  Lois 
(such  a  pet)  gave  me.  And  indeed  I  looked 
often  up  the  hill  to  see  if  you  were  really  coming. 
I  think  everything  is  pretty  straight.  Lois  is  get- 
ting a  nice  dinner  too, — roast  chicken ;  come  and 
have  a  bit. 

I  got  a  letter  from  Mr.  Fraser.  It  has  been 
rainy  and  cold  and  windy  to-day,  but  Jesus  whis- 


90  THE  DARJBBUNG  DISASTER 

pers,  'Teace  within."  I  forgot  to  tell  you  about 
some  more  presents  I  got.  Suee  gave  me  a  good 
sized  cucumber  and  five  pears.  The  wind  whis- 
tled "many  happy  returns  of  the  day,"  and  blew 
down  a  large  branch  of  ivy  to  me.  The  rose  tree, 
the  one  near  the  drawing-room  window,  put  out 
such  a  beautiful,  yellow  rosebud,  and  the  dhoby 
(washerman)  gave  me  the  present  of  bringing 
the  clothes.  Well,  we  have  had  a  nice  dinner. 
Flora  sent  me  a  birthday  wish  in  the  form  of  a 
poem;  she  is  quite  a  poet.  Well  good-night. 
Lois  is  sending  you  some  doilies.  We  have  had 
a  very  nice  time  to-day,  especially  I. 

With  all  the  love  I  can  give  and  piles  of  kisses. 

From  your  seventeen-year-old 

ViDA  Maud. 

P.  S. — You  naughty  mamma  to  say  "Sweet 
Fifteen"  to  Lois,  when  it  is  "Sweet  Seventeen" 
and  ''Bashful  Fifteen." 

But  I  will  forgive  you  for  Lois  is  a  very 
"Sweet  Fifteen." 

"Peace!  perfect  peace!  our  future  all  unknown? 
Jesus  we  know,  and  He  is  on  the  throne." 

[This  ending  of  her  birthday  letter  seems  like 
a  prophecy  to  us  all  now.] 


Sunday  Morning. 

My  Own  Sweet  Mamma: — How  glad  I  am  to 
tell  you  that  Esther's  fever  has  gone,  she  hasn't 
got  loi,  only  a  little  over  lOO.  .  .  .Lois  is  a  very 
funny  doctor,  and  I  am  afraid  will  have  tp  re- 


THE  CHILDREN'S  LETTERS  91 

form  before  she  becomes  a  good  one.  Early  in 
the  morning  before  I  was  awake,  she  gave  Esther 
a  big  piece  of  cocoa  candy  which  Mrs.  Munroe 
had  sent;  now  isn't  that  fooHsh?  Now  I  must 
say  good-night.  Oh,  if  I  could  have  but  one  kiss 
from  each  of  you  it  would  do  a  world  of  good. 
The  children  are  asleep  and,  thank  God,  Esther 
sleeps  peacefully.      Always  your  own  daughter, 

ViDA. 

P.  S. — The  boys  are  so  good,  especially  Wil- 
bur, and  help  such  a  lot. 


A  letter  written  just  after  the  three  birthday  an- 
niversaries.    Esther,  August  24th;  Wilbur, 
August  26th;  and  Herbert,  the  31st. 

Mall  Villa,  No.  2. 
September  ist,  1899. 

My  Own  Dear  Papa  and  Mamma: — We  have 
had  such  a  nice  week.  I  rather  like  birthdays. 
Wilbur  was  very  proud  of  his  Bible  and  mamma's 
letter;  he  reads  both  every  day.  I  hope  he  will 
keep  it  up. 

I  captured  the  package  and  letter  before  he 
could  turn  round,  and  as  a  letter  came  to 
"Ranee,"  [Esther's  pet  name,]  he  never  suspect- 
ed anything.  Next  morning  we  gave  both  to 
him.  We  hid  them  in  his  shirt,  but  to  our  dis- 
may we  found  it  was  a  dirty  one,  and  he  was 
putting  on  a  clean  one. 

What  could  we  do  but  declare  he  had  only 
worn  the  other  a  day  or  so,  and  that  we  believed 


92  THB  DARJBHUNG  DISASTER 

it  was  quite  clean  enough  to  go  to  bazaar  in.  So 
he  went  off  to  show  us  how  dirty  it  was.  There 
was  silence,  then  he  said,  ''Cunning  chaps  you 
are.  I  see  why  you  wanted  me  to  wear  the  dirty 
shirt."  We  gave  the  little  book  in  the  afternoon, 
hid  it  in  his  Bible  box.  Herbert  gave  his  pres- 
ent at  breakfast.  Lois  and  I,  also  Ada  and  Jes- 
sudar,  had  given  ours  before. 

Esther  had  a  real  nice  time  on  her  birthday. 
Ada   enjoyed   herself   just   as   much.      Mrs.   M. 

sent  birthday  cards.     Miss  was  going  to 

send  a  donation,  but  hers  came  to  be  a  no-nation. 
Maybe  it  will  turn  up  some  day  though.  Our 
beautiful  kid  gloves  went  ''up  the  tree,"  too.  .  .  . 
We  are  getting  on  much  better  now,  that  the 
children  are  well  again.  Let  Esther  stay  up,  it 
won't  be  long  now,  and  it  is  so  nice.  We  want 
her  so  badly.    Pray  for  me. 

....  I  am  sorry  Ada's  letter  did  not  get  off 
yesterday.  Pray  for  Ada ;  she  is  seeking  a  clean 
heart,  and  I  believe  she  was  converted  last  night ; 
she  seems  so  different  this  morning.  I  think  that 
Jessudar  is  m.oved  and  wants  a  clean  heart,  too. 
We  have  been  praying  for  Ada  and  I  know  you 
have  too.  Ada  says  she  feels  so  happy,  and  there 
is  such  a  sweet  expression  on  her  face.  Oh,  I  do 
hope  it  is  true  conversion.  .  .  .Esther  is  a  darling, 
no  trouble  at  all,  she  is  playing  with  dolly  now. 
Don't  take  her  away  from  us,  she  is  all  right. 

My  Dear  Papa: — ....We  had  a  nice  little 
evening  at  the  Emerson's  last  night;  it  was  our 
Sunday  School  social  evening.    I  played  my  gui- 


THE  CHILDREN'S  LETTERS  93 

tar.  The  boys  both  played  beautifully.  Herbert 
played  ''Home,  Sweet  Home"  and  "Annie  Lau- 
rie," and  Wilbur  "Blue  Bells."  I  put  Ada  and 
Ranee  to  bed  and  left  Jessudar  and  Sebe  with 
them.  We  came  home  early.  Mr.  Emerson  is 
going  down  soon,  so  it  was  a  kind  of  good-bye ; 
there  were  not  many  present.  .  .  .1  really  should 
take  more  time  with  my  Bible.  I  don't  feel  sat- 
isfied. I  am  afraid  it  (this  blessing)  will  not 
stay.  I  wish  I  had  faith,  but  I  believe  I  have 
almost  all  I  ever  had.  I  believe  in  God  and 
know  he  can  do  it,  but  I  want  to  feel  it  will  stay 
forever,  then  I  could  be  happy.  I  am  still  seek- 
ing for  a  fuller  salvation  that  can  keep  me. 
Pray  for  me.  I  must  have  it  and  before  I  see 
you  again. 

With  ever  so  much  love  and  kisses. 

Your  own  girl  ever, 

V^IDA. 


From  a  letter  greatly  prised  by  her  mother: 
written    September   ^th,    1899. 

Darling  Mamma: — The  children  are  not  home- 
sick, at  least  they  don't  show  it  much ;  only  they 
wish  to  see  you  so  much,  and  I  try  to  be  brave 
and  not  be  cross  or  ugly  to  them. 

I  am  really  too  big  to  be  "Homesick,"  because 
it  won't  be  long  maybe  until  I  will  be  away  from 
you. 

But  I  will  come  back  and  help  you.  I  prom- 
ised God  that  when  I  was  converted,  although  I 


94  THE  DARJBBLING  DISASTER 

am  so  naughty.  I  have  made  up  my  mind ....  I 
am  yours  forever  in  the  work  God  has  given 
you,  and  I  will  study  hard  and  prepare  for  that 
work.  I  have  always  wanted  to  go  to  America 
so,  so  bad,  but  we  can't  afford  it,  and  I  believe 
now,  that  Jesus  will  give  me  patience  and  I  will 
wait.  You  never  sent  a  verse  in  your  last  two 
letters,  they  are  so  helpful.  Don't  forget  next 
time.  Papa  always  remembers.  Pray  for  us  all. 
I  haven't  time  to  read  this  over,  I  must  go  to  my 
lessons.    I  left  the  soldiers  trying  to  catch  "King 

Lear." We  are  getting  to  know  each  other 

better,  and  will  try  hard,  all  of  us,  to  be  real 
ladies  and  gentlemen  and  make  our  home  a 
home.  Thank  you,  papa,  for  the  last  verse  you 
sent  me. 

God  bless  and  keep  us  all  very  close  to  Him. 
Oh !  pray  for  me.  I  will  be  victor  in  the  end. 
Now,  with  many,  many  armfuls  of  love  and  kisses 
and  hugs.  We  are  all  your  darlings.  Don't  want 
Esther;  it  is  wrong  to  covet  you  know.  Will  be 
all  right.  Your 

ViDA. 


T'his  letter  was  zvritten  about  two  weeks 
before  she  zvent  to  heaven. 

My   Own  Dear  Papa  and  Mamma: — I   have 

just  received  your  dear  letter I  wish  that  the 

contracts    [referring  to   the  new  house]    would 
come  to  a  close,  so  you  could  get  to  work,  or  if 


THE  CHILDREN'S  LETTERS  95 

it  drags  on  so  slowly,  you  will  not  be  ready  for 
us :  and  we  want  to  come  back  to  home. 

I  am  afraid  that  papa  has  not  bought  himself 
a  new  coat  and  pants  for  this  winter.  I  won't  be 
able  to  walk  with  him  with  my  nice  skirt  unless 
he  does.  I  can  make  my  last  winter's  dress  do 
nicely  by  letting  out  the  tuck,  so  you  get  your- 
self a  suit,  instead  of  me  a  new  dress;  mine  is 
all  right  and  good.  Mamma  must  have  a  new 
dress,  too.    I  wish  I  could  give  it  to  you. 

We  were  all  talking  the  other  night  of  what 
we  would  all  do  for  you  both,  and  I  am  sure 
Frank  would  have  joined,  if  he  had  been  here. 
Wilbur  says  he  won't  charge  anything  for  your 
teeth  being  fixed.  Lois  will  doctor  you  free. 
The  rest  of  us,  you  know,  aren't  so  sure  of  our 
money  as  they  are,  and  Herbert,  'Trofessor 
Lee,"  will  keep  your  home  comfee.  I  will  try 
hard  to  keep  up  your  work.  Yes,  I  am  sure 
God  has  called  me  to  it,  and  will  be  with  me, 
though  it  is  strange  He  should  have  made  me  of 
such  funny  stuff.  I  never  saw  a  girl,  like  me, 
before  or  after.  I  don't  believe  there  has  or  will 
be  such  a  naughty  girl. 

I  think  it  is  harder  for  me  to  be  good  than  all 
the  rest.  But  I  know  that  God  has  not  given 
me  anything  to  do,  nor  will  He  ever,  without 
the  grace  for  me  to  use.  He  will  prosper  your 
work.  You  don't  know  how  unworthy  I  feel  for 
such  a  place.    Your  work  is  His  work. 

So  in  a  few  years  (D.  V.),  for  you  and  papa 
are    getting   old    now, — just    think,    papa — fifty 


96  THB  DARJBBLING  DISASTER 

next  birthday,  isn't  he? — you  will  be  able  to  see 
your  work  progressing  and  yourselves  taken  care 
of.  Because  God  never  throws  off  His  own 
when  ''hoary  hair  their  heads  adorn."    . 

You  and  papa  must  never  speak  of  dying  now, 
when  we  are  all  just  beginning  to  live,  God 
has  lots  for  you  to  do  yet  (no  sons-in-law  will 
come  to  bother  you  unless  they  are  willing  to 
help). 

I  know  I  have  been  so  very  naughty  and  has- 
tened your  ages,  but  you  will  never  know  how 
I  have  been  struggling  for  two  and  a  half  years, 
yes,  really  three  years  against  God.  I  am  afraid 
sometimes  there  has  been  no  peace  in  my  heart, 
once  in  a  while  I  seemed  to  get  back  to  God,  but 
only  for  a  few  days  at  a  time,  then  it  was  all  dark 
again.  Oh !  I  hope  those  days  are  over  now.  I 
never  have  known  such  misery  and  I  just  could 
not  be  good. 

I  have  given  all  over  to  the  Lord  and  O  if  it 
would  only  stay  all  right.  This  is  one  reason 
why  I  dread  Calcutta.  But  I  trust  God  will  keep 
me.  I  don't  know  how  He  has  held  on  so  long. 
Oh,  pray  for  me,  I  never  can  stand  any  such 
days  again.  But  I  have  peace  and  happiness  now. 
I  have  told  you  what  I  didn't  expect  to.  I  told 
you  what  was  in  my  heart.  I  am  God's  for  your 
work.    Trust  me  and  believe  me, 

Ever  your  loving  and  affectionate, 

ViDA. 

P.  S. — I  never  can  forgive  myself  for  the  way 
I  have  treated  my  dear  papa.     No  girl  ever  had, 


THB  CHILDREN'S  LETTERS  97 

or  will  have,  a  better,  kinder  father.  Oh  forgive 
and  forget,  papa  darling,  I  am  truly  sorry. 

.  . .  .Dr.  Lois  is  progressing;  she  protests  that 
I  have  said  nothing  good  about  her,  but  you 
know  I  think  her  the  best  girl  in  the  world,  and 
she  really  is 

With  piles  of  love  and  kisses  from  all,  espe- 
cially Your  girl, 

ViDA. 


Vida's  last  letter. 

September  22nd,   1899. 

My  Ozvn  Dear  Mamma  and  Papa: — I  thought 
I  would  take  a  moment  to  write  you  a  note,  as 
to-morrow  at  this  time,  I  will  be  with  Miss  S. 
(D.  v.).  We  are  all  well;  my  cold  is  gone;  the 
children  are  at  school.  Esther  has  gone  out  with 
Jessudar  and  her  bucket. 

To-day  is  one  of  those  days  when  the  air  is 
"laden  with  the  breath  of  flowers,"  when  you 
feel  like  dreaming,  when  the  sun  is  shining  not 
too  strong,  but  throwing  sunbeams  into  the  room, 
until  you  are  warm  and  feel  happy  even  deep 
down  in  your  heart. 

This  is  the  way  I  feel  just  now,  only  a  little 
troubled  when  I  think  how  soon  the  examination 
is  coming,  and  this  makes  me  feel  like  study. 

The  birds  are  singing  and  we  all  join  to  thank 
God  for  such  a  day  after  the  rain  of  yesterday. 

You  know  Lamb  always  has  some  such  long 
introduction  and  I'm  afraid  you  will   feel  just 


98  THE  DARJEELIXG  DISASTER 

like  I  do  when  I  read  them,  if  I  don't  tell  yon 
some  news  now.  The  service  of  song  takes  place 
to-morrow ;  Lois  will  take  part,  but  I  really  did 
not  have  time  to  attend  the  practices,  so  did  not 

join.    I  believe  it  is  going  to  be  real  nice 

Mr.  ,  Oh,  I  don't  know  his  name,  is  so 

nice.  He  preached  on  Sunday.  Lois  and  I  went 
both  times,  though  it  was  raining.  I  hope  he 
preaches  this  Sunday  too ;  he  is  such  a  dear  old 
man,  I  wish  he  could  come  down  and  see  us.  He 
came  and  introduced  himself.  I  don't  know 
whether  he  knows  we  are  the  Lees,  or  not.  ..'... 
I  just  feel  like  having  a  long  talk,  but  I  must  go 
and  study  my  lessons ....  We  all  send  piles  of 
love  and  kisses ....  I  want  to  see  you  so  much. 
I  am  very  happy  this  morning,  but  I  am  not  sat- 
isfied. Do  pray  for  your  girl.  Here  is  a  big' 
kiss  for  dear  "Octavius  Noel,"  [a  pet  name  for 
baby  Frank]  and  papa  and  yourself. 

From  \"iDA. 


This  card  was  sent  the  morning  of  the  awful  day. 

My  Own  Dear  Papa: — It  is  raining  hard,  so 
we  are  not  able  to  go  to  Sunday-school ;  it  is  Mr. 
E.'s  last  Sunday.  The  nice  minister  is  the  Rev. 
P.  R.  Mackav.  The  service  of  song  came  ofif 
nicely.  It  is  just  pouring  and  we  have  heard  a 
landslip  come  rolling  down  just  now. 

We  are  all  well,  and  send  piles  of  love. 

Your  own  girl, 

ViDA. 

[A  few  hours  after,  she  was  in  heaven.] 


THE  CHILDREN'S  LETTERS  99 

Extracts  from  Lois'  Letters. 
Letter  to  Vida  zvhen  she  zvas  ill  in  hospital, 

February,  1898,  zvitli  diphtheria. 
My  Ozmi  Darling  Vida: — .  .  .  .have  been  won- 
dering all  day  what  I  could  do  to  make  yon 
happy.  I  would  like  so  much  to  come  in  and  give 
you  a  great  big  hug  and  kiss,  but  as  I  can't  do  it 
myself,  I  send  this  dolly  to  do  it  for  me.  Re- 
member this  dolly  was  born  two  months  before 
our  Ruth,  [Ruth  was  born  May  7th,  1893].  I 
hope  you  will  soon  be  better.    Good-night. 

Your  own  sister, 

Lois. 


Tills  note  was  sent  to  her  friend  Flora  on  her 
fourteenth  birthday. 

144  Dharamtala  Street, 

Calcutta,  October  i6th. 
My    Own    Dear    Sweetheart    Flora: — Many, 
many  happy  returns  of  the  day.     And  may  you 
live  to  see  eighty-six  more. 

Lois. 


From   Darjeeeing. 
Lois'  letter  on  her  papa's  birthday. 

MaIvE  Villa,  No.  2. 
June  26th,  1899. 
The  day  after  you  left. 

Now  your  birthday  comes  again, 
One  more  link  in  life's  long  chain. 
May  this  day  be  bright  and  blest. 
On  your  life  may  blessing  rest. 


loo  THE  DARJBBLING  DISASTER 

Friday  Night,  Sle:epy  Time. 

My  Precious  Mamma  and  Papa: — We  are  all 
safe  and  sound,  and  getting  on  fine,  though  it 
seems  rather  strange  without  you. 

We  have  had  a  lovely  day ....  I  got  dinner  all 
myself,  and  after  dinner,  we  four,  with  Luce's 
[the  hill  woman]  help  brought  the  organ  up- 
stairs to  the  boys'  room.  We  sung  a  few  hymns. 
Then  had  prayers,  Vida  and  Jessudar  [the  Ben- 
gali girl]  read  the  103rd  Psalm,  and  we  all  went 
to  bed  and  slept  soundly. 

It  is  school  time,  so  with  hugs  and  kisses  for 
Esther  and  Frank,  and  wishing  papa  the  happiest 
birthday  he  has  ever  had. 

With  piles  of  love  and  kisses  for  you  both, 
Ever  your  loving, 

"Grand  Mother  Lois.'' 

My  Precious  Mamma  and  Papa: — It  seems 
ages  since  I  have  heard  from  either  of  you. 
Vida  is  getting  all  the  letters  and  praise  and 
being  called  ''doctor"  and  it  makes  me  feel  so,  so 
jealous.    Esther  is  much  better  to-day. 

I  never  dreamt  the  doctor's  bill  would  be  so 
much,  but  Vida  and  I  will  earn  it.  If  you  and 
mamma  take  me  on  as  your  family  physician 
when  I'm  big  I  won't  charge  quite  so  much. 
Don't  worry  about  Esther,  whatever  you  do,  we 
are  taking  good  care  of  her.  .  .  . 

It  must  be  boiling  in  Calcutta  to-day,  but  it  is 
simply  beautiful  up  here,  a  perfect  day.  The 
sunrise  this  morning  was  one  of  the  most  beauti- 
ful I  have  ever  seen.     The  sun  had  not  yet  ap- 


THE  CHILDREN'S  LETTERS  loi 

pearcd  and  the  horizon  was  streaked  first  with  a 
rich,  deep  orange,  then  a  more  deHcate  shade, 
and  so  on,  until  it  came  to  a  pale  soft  yellow.  I 
wish  you  and  papa  could  have  seen  it.  .  .  . 

We  are  all  well  and  happy,  studying  hard.  I 
help  Wilbur  for  more  than  an  hour  every  day .  .  . 
Ada  got  your  letter  yesterday.  We  are  all  look- 
ing forward  to  the  warm  feathered  nest.  [The 
new  home  in  preparation  for  them  in  Calcutta.] 

....  We  have  been  having  a  fine  time  opening 
the  basket,  and  finding  such  lovely  delicious  treats 
inside.  You  always  seem  to  know  just  what  we 
want.  Those  custard  apples  are  just  beauties ; 
the  hulwa  ''scrumpshush ;"  the  figs  delicious ;  the 
nuts  excellent ;  the  mangosteens  lovely ;  and  the 
amras  "nectar  for  the  gods"  (Vida  thinks). 
Everything  reached  all  right  there  w^ere  just 
enough  mashed  custard  apples  (but  delicious) 
for  tiffin,  and  oh !  but  we  did  enjoy  them.  They 
are  really  my  weak  point,  mamma. 

Good-bye,  love  piles,  always  your 

Lois. 


A  part  of  Lois'  last  letter,  written  just  a  week 
before  she  went  to  heaven. 

Mall  Villa,  No.  2, 
September   17th,   1899. 
My  Darling  Mamma  and  Papa: — I   received 
mamma's  dear,  welcome  letter  the  other  day  and 
was  very  glad  to  get  it(  although  a  little  insulted 
at  being  called  "duck  legs"). 


102  THE  DARJBBLIKG  DISASTER 

We  had  a  lovely  little  social  at  Mr.  Emerson's. 
He  asked  us  to  take  our  instruments.  I  played 
for  the  hymns  and  solos,  Wilbur  and  Herbert  on 
their  violins,  and  Mda  on  her  guitar. 

Everything  went  all  right.  .  .  . 

He  thanked  Winnie  and  me  for  presiding  at 
the  organ  for  Sunday-school.  It  has  been  good 
practice  and  I  can  play  by  first  sight  pretty  well 
now.  .  .  .There  is  to  be  a  Service  of  Song,  "Jes- 
sica's First  Prayer,"  in  aid  of  the  Sunday-school 
Hall  Fund,  next  Saturday.  Lois. 


Lois'  letter  written  on  her  birthday,  July  2nd, 
was  a  beautiful  one  and  brought  joy  to  the 
hearts  of  her  parents.  This,  with  other  such 
letters,  had  been  sent  home  to  relatives. 

Her  father  had  sent  her  two  books — biogra- 
phies— belonging  to  the  series  called  "Men  with 
a  Mission."  She  spoke  of  the  preface  in  one  of 
the  books  and  said,  "I  believe  I  am  a  girl  with 
a  mission,  and  feel  the  necessity  of  being  holy, 
for  my  life  verse  is,  "The  Lord  hath  set  apart 
him  that  is  godly  for  himself."  Psalm  4 :  3. 


A   fragment  of  an  exercise  written  by  Lois  in 
class  one  day  during  her  last  summer. 

CaIvCUTTA. 

"The  great  city  now  called  Calcutta,  was  for- 
merly a  flight  of  stairs  leading  from  the  sacred 
waters  of  the  Ganges,  up  the  muddy  banks,  to 
the  shore,  where  stood  the  temple  of  the  goddess 


THE  CHILDRBX'S  LETTERS  103 

Kali,  worshipped  by  the  Hindoos,  and  it  was 
here  they  came  from  all  over  India  to  wash  away 
their  sins  in  the  water  of  this  sacred  river. 

''Gradually  buildings  sprang  up  around  the 
then-called  Kali  Ghat,  and  in  the  seventeenth 
century,  when  the  East  India  Company  was 
formed,  a  factory  was  built  and,  in  time,  for  the 
defense  of  the  company,  Fort  William  was  con- 
structed. For  some  years  afterwards  the  place 
was  called  'Fort  William'  by  the  English.  But 
in  the  end  it  came  to  be  called  by  its  native  name 
'Kali  Ghat,'  now  modernized  into  'Calcutta.' 

"Calcutta  is  situated  on  the  Ganges,  ninety 
miles  from  the  Sea,  and  in  the  monsoon  district. 
The  cold  weather  lasts  from  the  middle  of  No- 
vember to  the  middle  of  March,  then  the  hot  and 
dry  weather  lasts  until  the  middle  of  June.  The 
rains  then  set  in  and  last  until  August. 

"Calcutta  is  called  the  'City  of  Palaces ;'  it 
contains  many  large  and  magnificent  buildings." 


Wilbur's  Letters. 

Darjeeeing,  Mall  Villa  No.  2, 

July  5th,  1899. 
My  Dear  Mamma  and  Papa: — I  am  writing  to 
you  for  it  is  my  turn.  This  letter  will  be  more 
of  an  "Essay"  than  a  letter,  for  I  am  going  to 
tell  you  just  how  we  spent  "The  Fourth  of 
July." 

I  bought  some  fireworks.     Vida  and  Lois  in- 
vited Miss  Stahl  and  Flora  to  lunch  (or  rather 


to4  THE  DARjnnUNG  DISASTER 

dinner)  which  we  called  our  ''American  State 
Dinner."  Herbert  and  I  got  up  early  and  went 
to  the  bazaar  and  got  the  things  for  the  state 
dinner.  Jessudar  and  the  Nany  came  with  us. 
While  we  were  away  Vida  and  Lois  killed  two 
chickens  and  cleaned  them,  and  had  the  beets 
boiled  ready  for  slaw.  ]\Iiss  Stahl  and  Flora 
came  at  2  o'clock  and  we  fired  off  some  fire- 
crackers after  dinner.  We  had  for  dessert :  man- 
goes, peaches,  lichees,  plantains,  figs,  dates,  pom- 
egranates, and  the  little  chocolates  which  you 
sent  up.  We  have  the  grapes  and  big  chocolates 
yet,  though  they  are  disappearing  one  by  one  by 
two-legged  rats. 

After  coming  from  the  market  we  spent  the 
morning  practising  for  a  concert  which  was  held 
in  the  evening  in  the  dining-room  of  the  Girls' 
School.  And  we  played  ''Old  Folks  at  Home" 
all  together,  and  it  was  a  success.  After  it  was 
finished  Mr.  Hart  gave  us  an  address  and  said 
that  he  wished  the  English  would  be  beaten 
again,  and  after  he  was  finished  Miss  Stahl  al- 
lowed us  to  fire  off  some  firecrackers.  We  went 
home  and  fired  a  hig  firecracker  in  remembrance 
of  you  and  papa,  and  after  singing  "My  Country, 
'Tis  of  Thee !"  fired  off  our  last  firecracker  and 
then  said  prayers. 

We  have  been  having  prayers  every  day,  and 
Vida  has  been  praying  that  when  we  go  to  Cal- 
cutta you  will  have  two  gentlemen  instead  of  two 
boors. 


THE  CHILDREN'S  LETTERS  105 

Pray  for  us  all ;  we  are  getting  on  nicely ;  don't 
worry  about  us.  Ada  sends  her  love  to  Esther 
and  Frank.  We  are  praying  for  you  every  day. 
I  will  write  another  letter  soon.  To-day  is  a  very 
nice  day ;  we  could  see  the  snows  all  day  till  3  130. 

Your  son, 

W11.BUR. 


Wilbur's  letter  zvritten  on  his  last  birthday 
anniversary. 

MalIv  VilIvA,  No.  2, 
August  26,  1899. 

My  Darling  Mamma  and  Papa: — I  got  your 
nice  birthday  letter  this  morning  and  papa's  pres- 
ent. Vida  kept  my  Bible  and  letter,  and  this 
morning  put  them  in  my  banyan  before  I  awoke, 
and  when  I  put  it  on,  I  felt  something  heavy 
which  scared  me ;  then  I  had  a  nice  laugh  to  my- 
self when  I  found  it  was  my  Bible.  I  then 
dressed  and  read  your  nice  letter.  It  made  me 
feel  like  a  man,  no  longer  a  boy  (nor  baby)  as 
you  said.  Vida  did  not  like  you  telling  me  about 
the  cake  and  chocolates,  for  she  had  hidden  them 
from  us,  also  the  nuts,  to  surprise  us. 

Esther  is  very  well  and  happy,  and  the  girls 
say  they  will  not  hear  of  Esther's  going  down 
until  we  all  go  down  together.  So  do  not  trou- 
ble about  us. 

I  am  getting  on  nicely  with  my  violin.  I  have 
had  perfect  lessons  ever  since  papa  went  down, 
and  Mr.  Burnett  says  it  is  only  my  bowing  that 
is  bad. 


io6  THll  DARJEBLIKG  DISASTER 

I  am  going  to  try  hard  so  as  to  pass  first  and 
get  ''the  bicycle"  which  you  and  papa  are  going 
lO  give.  Tell  papa  that  my  Bible  just  looks  like 
him  and  you.  It  is  just  the  very  kind  I  wanted; 
the  two  verses  you  and  papa  gave  me  were  nice. 
I  am  giving  you  a  verse  and  am  putting  in  a  few 
words: — Psalms  64:  13,  "and  (his)  pastures  are 
clothed  with  flocks  (of  them  who  love  him)  and 
(his)  valleys  also  are  covered  over  with  corn, 
they  shout  for  joy,  they  also  sing." 

May  God  bless  you,  papa  and  little  Frank ;  and 
now  mamma,  do  not  worry  about  Esther,  for  if 
she  goes  down  she  will  suffer  with  the  heat  and 
be  sick ;  she  is  all  right  up  here.     Good-bye. 
Love  to  all.     Your  man, 

Wilbur. 


Wilbur's  last  letter  written  three  days  before  the 

landslide. 

MalIv  Villa,  September  21,  1899. 

My  Dear  Mamma: — I  got  your  nice  letter  on 
Sunday  last.  I  am  glad  to  hear  that  the  house 
is  about  ready  for  us.  I  am  very  homesick  for 
you,  papa  and  little  brother  Frank,  He  must  be 
about  big  enough  to  "play  horses."  I  am  trying 
hard  for  a  horse  which  has  never  to  be  fed  (ex- 
cept oil)   and  never  gets  tired. 

Vida  got  Rs.  30,  which  you  sent,  from  Miss 
Stahl  and  gave  me  one  for  lessons.  Vida  has 
been  writing  letters  and  learning  very  hard ;  she 


THE  CHILDREN'S  LETTERS  107 

deserves  a  bicycle  if  any  one  does.  She  has  been 
so  kind  to  us. 

Lois  is  teaching  me  the  piano.  I  have  a  half 
hour's  practice  at  school  every  day  while  the  girls 
are  at  dinner.  Tell  papa  we  need  two  or  three 
sets  of  violin  strings.  I  read  my  Bible  every  day 
and  have  done  so  ever  since  my  birthday. 

We  all  send  love  and  kisses  now,  for  I  must 
close.  With  love  from 

WlIyBUR. 


CHAPTER  IX.    • 

Jessudar^  the  Bengali  Girl. 

Into  our  training  school  came  little  Jessudar, 
not  more  than  nine  years  old.  At  the  very  men- 
tion of  her  name  my  heart  thrilled,  for  a  lovely 
girl  by  the  same  name,  I  had  rescued  from  an 
awful  life  some  years  ago.  And  now  God  has 
sent  another,  wonderfully  delivering  her  from 
a  life  of  shame. 

Her  father  and  mother  were  Hindus — the 
former  dying  when  she  was  quite  small — leaving 
her  mother  with  five  children  and  no  means  of 
support.  Only  God  knows  the  story  of  their 
sufferings,  as  they  worked  in  the  rice  fields,  gath- 
ering a  little  here  and  there,  enough  to  keep  soul 
and  body  together.  Only  God  knows  the  an- 
guish of  that  mother's  heart  as  she  often  heard 
their  cry  of  hunger — for  a  Hindu  mother  has  not 
one  whit  less  a  mother's  heart. 

No  one  but  God  knows  the  temptations  to 
which  she  was  subjected,  nor  the  evil  influence 
of  her  surroundings,  with  no  knowledge  of  a 
Saviour — no  protection  anywhere. 

Only  those  of  us  who  know  the  sad  story  of 
Hindu  widowhood,  and  see  it  enacted  about  us 
everyday,  can  form  any  conception  of  all  Jessu- 
dar's  mother  passed  through.  One  day  when 
the   children   were   hungry  and   naked,   with   no 

1 08 


JBSSUDAR,,   THE  BENGALI  GIRL         log 

hope  of  food  or  help  from  any  source,  the  temp- 
ter came  to  this  woman  in  the  form  of  a  wicked 
man,  who  fixed  his  helhsh  eyes  on  Httle  Jessudar, 
and  said  to  the  distressed  mother,  ''You  are  in 
great  straits.  Sell  me  your  little  daughter  and  I 
will  give  you  rupees  eight  ($2.25)  for  her,  which 
will  feed  you  all  for  some  weeks." 

The  mother  looked  on  the  sweet  face  of  her 
child  and  her  heart  sank  within  her,  as  she 
thought  of  Jessudar's  future.  She  shrank  from 
the  deed  and  answered  her  tormentor,  saying, 
"No;  we  had  better  die  together." 

But  this  man  was  not  so  easily  put  off,  and, 
showing  the  shining  silver,  said,  "No ;  you  take 
the  money  now,  and  I  will  not  claim  the  girl 
until  she  is  old  enough  to  be  married,  then  she 
is  mine." 

The  mother  looked  at  the  money,  and  then  at 
her  hungry  children,  and  being  deceived  by  his 
enticing  words,  yielded,  accepted  the  money,  and 
Jessudar  was  sold. 

About  this  time  the  mother  met  with  some  na- 
tive Christians  of  the  village,  who  became  inter- 
ested in  her  and  began  to  teach  her  about  Jesus, 
and  soon  after  she  forsook  her  idols,  and,  the  fol- 
lowing Christmas,  she  and  her  children  were  bap- 
tized. A  short  time  afterwards  this  wicked  man, 
in  company  with  a  few  of  his  Hindu  friends, 
came  to  the  mother  and  claimed  the  child  he  had 
bought.  She  refused  to  let  her  go,  saying  she 
was  still  too  young. 


110  THE  DARJEBLING  DISASTER 

One  day,  when  the  mother  was  out  of  the 
house,  he  came  to  the  child  and  ordered  her  to 
come  with  him.  She  refused  to  obey,  at  which, 
in  spite  of  her  entreaties,  he  bound  her,  and  car- 
rying her  away,  hid  her  in  his  house.  The  moth- 
er turned  to  her  Christian  friends,  who  imme- 
diately went  and  by  force  took  the  child  from 
him.  These  friends,  feeling  that  she  was  unsafe 
with  them,  brought  her  to  us. 

Jessudar  soon  became  happy  with  us,  and  we 
find  her  a  most  lovable,  obedient  child.  A  few 
evenings  ago  we  taught  her  her  first  prayer,  and 
it  is  sweet  to  see  her  learning  to  sing  the  songs  of 
Jesus  with  the  other  children,  and  hear  her  as  she 
joins  them  in  prayer.  She  is  most  attentive  as  we 
tell  the  story  of  Jesus,  and  as  a  token  of  her  de- 
sire to  serve  Him,  the  other  day  she  took  her  iron 
bangle  [a  relic  of  Hinduism]  from  her  wrist,  and 
throwing  it  on  the  ground,  said,  *'I  have  nothing 
more  to  do  with  these  things,  neither  am  I  bound 
by  them;  I  intend  to  serve  Jesus." 

She  is  a  most  industrious  child  and  takes  in- 
terest in  everything  about  her.  She  knew  not 
even  her  alphabet,  but  will  soon  be  reading,  so 
intent  is  she  on  learning. 

As  I  think  of  the  awful  life  of  prostitution  from 
which  this  child  has  been  saved,  I  do  praise  God 
that  she  is  with  us,  and  that  we  have  the  blessed 
work  intrusted  to  us  of  leading  her  to  Jesus  and 
training  her  for  Him. 

This  is  one  of  the  many  phases  of  our  much- 
loved  work.    There  are  many  bright  young  lives 


JBSSUDAR,  THE  BENGALI  GIRL         in 

all  about  us,  crushed  to  the  earth,  bound  by  cruel 
galling  chains  that  only  the  power  of  God  can 
break !  There  are  many  Jessudars  to  be  saved, 
and  time  is  going,  oh,  so  swiftly.  Oh !  that  the 
Church  of  God  was  awake  to  this  great  work! 

We  are  thankful  for  the  hearts  God  has  touch- 
ed, and  the  friends  He  has  raised  up  to  become 
partners  with  us. 

The  above  was  a  leaflet  written  when  Jessudar 
first  came  to  us  and  little  did  we  then  know 
through  what  portal  she  would  go  from  us.  Sev- 
eral attempts  had  been  made,  by  the  wicked  man 
from  whom  we  had  rescued  her,  to  entice  her 
away — he  having  succeeded  even  in  leading  her 
mother  away — and  bringing  her  with  him,  hop- 
ing through  her,  if  possible,  to  get  the  child  into 
his  hands. 

She  often  came  upstairs  for  us  to  protect  her 
from  them.  She  had  never  been  out  of  our 
home,  had  become  a  good,  useful  girl,  and  was 
very  much  interested  in  her  lessons,  as  well  as 
her  work.  She  had  sought  Jesus  and  had  become 
an  earnest  little  Christian. 

As  we  were  breaking  up  housekeeping  in  May, 
felt  it  would  not  be  safe  to  leave  her  in  Calcutta ; 
so  we  decided  to  take  her  with  us  to  the  hills, 
uhich  we  did.  She  was  very  well  and  very  happy 
with  us,  and  was  devoted  to  our  children :  so 
much  so  that  when  Mr.  Lee  and  I  were  coming 
down  to  our  work  and  leaving  them  behind — 
Vida  said,  "Mamma,  let  Jessudar  stay  with  us; 
she  will  be  so  much  company  and  such  a  help  to 


112  THE  DARJBBLING  DISASTER 

us."  So  we  decided  to  leave  her,  having  ar- 
ranged for  her  to  go  to  school  with  them  in  the 
afternoon  to  learn  Kindergarten  and  English. 

She  used  to  take  part  with  us  at  prayers  and 
in  the  little  home  prayer-meeting  the  same  as  one 
of  our  own  children.  She  had  received  a  Bible 
the  year  before  as  a  prize  for  good  conduct  which 
she  read  daily,  and  always  seemed  very  penitent 
for  any  wrong  she  may  have  done.  She  was 
about  thirteen  years  of  age  and  had  become  a 
promising  girl. 

On  that  night  she  was  with  our  children  as 
they  knelt  in  prayer.  She  prayed,  too,  commend- 
ing her  spirit  to  God.  So  when  Vida  opened  her 
eyes  in  heaven — after  that  terrible  crash — and 
looked  about  on  her  little  charge,  her  last  thought 
on  earth  being  for  their  safety,  it  must  have  been 
her  first  in  heaven,  I  have  no  doubt  she  rejoiced 
to  find  faithful  Jessudar  among  the  rest.  And 
we  rejoice  here  to  think  of  her  as  safe  eternally, 
and  hasten  to  rescue  as  many  more  like  her  as 
the  Lord  may  permit. 


Frank. 


Albert. 


CHAPTER  X. 

Wilbur's  Story. 

''And  God  shall  zvipe  azvay  all  tears  from  their 
eyes,  and  there  shall  be  no  more  death,  neither 
sorrow  nor  crying,  neither  shall  there  be  any 
more  pain."     Rev.  21:4. 

''He  shall  swalloiv  np  death  in  victory,  and  the 
Lord  shall  zvipe  azvay  tears  from  oif  all  faces." 
Isaiah  25 :  8. 

The  first  telegram  brought  us  the  word  that 
Wilbur  had  escaped.  We  were  so  benumbed  by 
the  awful  news  concerning  the  other  children  that 
we  did  not  think  of  his  being  injured,  and  even 
expected  him  down  on  the  next  train  with  the 
other  school  children. 

How  little  we  knew  of  what  that  dear  boy  was 
passing  through !  It  did  not  dawn  upon  us  until 
some  friend  telegraphed,  "I  saw  Wilbur  Lee. 
Doing  well."  Then  we  began  to  fear  he  might  be 
hurt.  Not  until  two  days  after  did  we  get  the 
word  that  he  was  badly  injured. 

We  then  said  we  must  go  to  him  at  once. 
Some  said  it  would  be  impossible  for  me  to  go, 
the  roads  were  so  torn  away;  but  I  thought  I 
must  go  to  my  boy;  if  he  was  suffering,  I  must 
be  with  him.  The  one  thought  of  reaching  him 
spurred  me  on  through  every  difficulty. 

113 


114  THE  DARJBBLING  DISASTER 

All  through  that  long,  uncertain  journey — 
walking,  riding,  climbing — nothing  seemed  too 
hard  for  me,  if  I  could  but  reach  him.  All  along 
the  way  everybody  we  met  brought  good  tidings 
of  Wilbur. 

At  last  the  journey  was  over,  and  at  lo  o'clock 
on  Friday,  we  reached  the  Sanitarium  in  Dar- 
jeeling.  Oh,  the  joy  of  clasping  him  again  in  our 
arms !  We  found  him  propped  up  in  bed,  very 
bright  and  cheery,  and  seemingly  getting  well 
rapidly. 

He  was  very  much  affected,  and  burst  into 
tears  of  joy  when  he  saw  us ;  but  we  soothed  and 
quieted  him,  and  he  was  soon  telling  us  all  about 
what  he  had  been  doing,  and  asking  us  questions 
about  home  and  ourselves. 

He  took  his  baby  brother  in  his  arms  and 
played  with  him — so  delighted  was  he  to  see  him. 
Then  he  asked  for  his  box,  and,  opening  it, 
showed  us  his  bottles  of  scent  and  handkerchiefs 
which  many  kind  friends  had  given  him.  He 
told  me  how  kind  every  one  had  been  to  him,  and 
seemed  specially  fond  of  the  house  doctor  and 
the  Sister,  who  were  untiring  in  their  devotion 
to  him. 

He  showed  me  the  names  of  the  ladies  who 
had  called  on  him,  or  had  sent  him  some  delicacy, 
or  in  any  way  had  shown  him  a  kindness.  He 
had  asked  a  friend  to  write  down  all  the  names, 
saying  he  would  write  to  each  one  a  letter  of 
thanks  after  he  got  well. 


WILBUR'S  STORY  uS 

I  asked  him  about  that  night,  and  he  said, 
''Mamma,  let  me  begin  at  the  first  and  tell  you 
all  about  it." 

I  said,  "No,  son ;  you  will  have  plenty  of  time 
to  tell  me,  so  do  not  tell  me  all  to-day.  But  I 
wish  so  much  to  know  if  you  tried  to  save  your- 
selves." 

He  then  told  me  that  they  first  tried  to  escape 
from  the  south  side  and  to  get  down  to  Nos.  4 
and  5,  [the  nearest  houses,]  but  they  came  to  a 
flood  of  mud  and  water  rushing  down  the  hill- 
side, as  Wilbur  said,  "like  the  Ohio  River."  It 
was  impossible  for  them  to  cross  it. 

They  then  went  out  the  back  way,  going  up 
the  narrow  foot-path  to  the  road,  and  started  to 
the  house  above  toward  the  Mall,  but  they  found 
the  road  washed  away,  and  nothing  left  on  which 
to  tread. 

Vida  then  led  them  back  down  toward  Lebong, 
the  opposite  direction,  but  they  were  met  by  in- 
surmountable piles  of  earth  and  debris. 

Boulders  were  rolling  down  the  mountain  side, 
trees  were  falling  and  stones  flying  through  the 
air.  The  rain  poured  in  torrents ;  the  roar  of 
the  cyclone  and  the  pitch  darkness  were  enough 
to  terrify  the  bravest  heart. 

Vida  found  she  could  not  keep  them  together, 
and  said,  "I  am  afraid  we  will  get  lost  from  one 
another,  and  I  promised  papa  I  would  take  care 
of  Esther.  Come,  we  will  go  back  to  the  house, 
and,  if  the  Lord  wishes,  he  can  save  us  together, 
and,  if  not,  he  will  take  us  together." 


ii6  THE  DARJBBLING  DISASTER 

So  they  returned  and  went  upstairs  and  built 
a  fire  and  began  to  dry  their  clothes.  They 
knelt  in  prayer  several  times  asking  God  to  pro- 
tect them. 

Soon  they  heard  some  one  knocking  on  the 
front  door.  They  went  down  and  found  a  poor 
native  man,  all  crippled,  and  his  face  bleeding. 
He  told  them  their  house  was  going  to  fall ;  but 
he  was  so  ill  and  shivering  with  the  cold  that  the 
children  became  interested  in  him  instead  of 
themselves. 

Vida  took  a  cloth  and  wiped  the  blood  from 
his  face.  They  tried  to  lift  him  inside,  but  he 
fainted  away.  She  then  took  the  durry  [large 
rug]  from  the  floor  near  by  and  wrapped  him  up 
in  it.  Two  other  native  men  passed  the  door,  and 
said,  ''Children,  the  mountain  is  falling  down, 
and  you  had  better  leave." 

The  children  told  them  they  had  tried, — how 
could  they  get  away?  The  men  then  passed  on. 
not  able  to  render  them  any  assistance.  The  hill 
woman  who  cooked  for  them  helped  to  get  every- 
thing in  from  the  out-houses, — the  cooking  uten- 
sils, etc. ;  and  just  as  she  came  out  of  the  cook- 
house the  last  time,  it  was  washed  away. 

The  native  man  lying  at  the  door  became  con- 
scious again,  and  said  he  must  go  to  his  master  at 
Nos.  4  and  5,  and  went  away,  dragging  himself 
along  the  ground.  He  says  the  last  time  he  saw 
the  children  they  were  kneeling  together  in 
prayer. 


WILBUR'S  STORY  117 

Vida  took  them  all  back  upstairs  again  to  the 
fire,  and  while  praying,  the  corner  of  the  room 
cracked  open. 

I  found  it  agitated  Wilbur  very  much  to  tell 
me  about  it,  so  I  checked  him;  but  he  said, 
"Mamma,  I  must  tell  you  about  Vida.  She 
sprang  to  her  feet,  her  face  just  beaming  as  she 
said,  'Children,  the  house  is  coming  down,  and 
we  will  soon  be  in  heaven.'  " 

''But  were  you  not  afraid;  Wilbur?"  I  said. 

"No,  mamma ;  God  had  taken  all  the  fear 
away,  and  we  were  all  so  happy.  We  felt  just 
as  if  we  were  in  the  train  coming  home  to  you. 
We  said  to  each  other,  'Now  if  papa  and  mamma 
and  Baby  Frank  were  only  here,  so  we  could  all 
go  to  heaven  together,  how  nice  it  would  be.' 
Oh,  Vida's  face !  Mamma,  if  you  only  could 
have  seen  her !  how  beautiful  she  looked !  Her 
face  shone  like  an  angel's  as  she  talked  to  us. 
She  then  led  us  into  another  room,  and  again  we 
knelt  about  the  bed,  and  we  all  prayed  Jessudar 
(our  Bengali  girl)  was  kneeling  with  us,  and 
with  hands  clasped  and  looking  up  to  heaven,  she 
said,  "Oh,  merciful  God,  take  us  now."  These 
were  her  last  words. 

"Then  there  came  a  tremendous  crash.  I 
sprang  to  my  feet  with  a  lamp  in  my  hand  just 
in  time  to  see  the  wall  come  in,  and  I  knew  noth- 
ing more  until  I  awoke  in  the  darkness  in  the 
mud  and  water  below.  It  was  still  raining  hard. 
I  could  see  two  lights  in  the  distance,  and  I  tried 


ii8  THE  DARJBBUNG  DISASTER 

to  get  to  the  one  I  thought  nearest  me.    I  walked 
a  little,  and  then  fell  down  asleep." 

Wilbur  had  been  thrown  more  than  a  hundred 
feet  down  the  mountain  side.  When  daylight 
came  there  was  not  a  vestige  of  the  house  left. 
The  beautiful  flower  garden  and  trees  were  gone ; 
nothing  but  fresh  earth  and  roots  of  trees,  and 
boulders  piled  up  so  high  that  no  one  could  rec- 
ognize the  spot  on  which  the  house  had  stood. 

In  the  house  just  near,  only  farther  out  on  the 
mountain  side,  twenty-four  persons  had  stayed 
all  night  unable  to  get  away,  and  expecting  every 
moment  that  their  house  would  go,  the  stones 
rolling  down  on  the  roof  all  night.  Two  gentle- 
men attempted  to  get  to  our  house  several  times, 
but  the  mud  and  water  were  so  deep  and  the 
darkness  so  great  that  it  seemed  impossible. 

As  day  dawned  two  ladies  were  looking  out 
from  the  porch  to  see  what  had  become  of  their 
servants,  when  on  a  little  knoll  some  distance 
away  they  saw  a  muddy  object  rise  up  and  throw 
up  its  arms,  and  then  fall  back.  As  it  grew 
lighter  they  discovered  it  was  our  Wilbur,  and 
called  to  him  to  lie  still,  and  they  would  send 
him  help.  What  joyful  words  these  must  have 
been  to  the  poor  boy  w^ho  had  been  trying  so  long- 
to  attract  attention. 

Some  kind  gentlemen  went  to  him,  wading  in 
mud  and  water  up  to  their  waists.  After  a  des- 
perate struggle,  an  old  gentleman  reached  him ; 
the  boy  threw  his  arms  about  him,  so  grateful 
was  he  to  him  for  coming.     They  carried  him. 


WILBUR'S  STORY  iig 

through  much  difficulty,  to  the  house,  where  they 
washed  the  mud  away,  put  on  warm  clothes  and 
wrapped  him  in  blankets,  and  then  sent  for  the 
doctor. 

He  was  very  cold.  In  the  meantime  they  put 
hot  bottles  about  him  and  brought  him  some 
brandy.  This  he  refused  to  take,  saying:  ''It's 
wrong  to  drink  brandy ;  I  can't  take  that." 

A  lady  said  to  him,  "No,  it's  not  wrong,  Wil- 
bur, for  you  to  take  it  now  as  medicine.  Do  you 
not  remember  that  verse  where  Paul  told  Tim- 
othy to  take  a  little  wine  for  his  stomach's  sake? 
so  it's  right  for  you  to  take  it  now." 

''You  are  sure  it  will  not  be  wrong?"  he  said. 
"Then  I'll  take  it." 

The  doctor  came  and  dressed  the  terrible 
wounds  on  his  head  and  found,  that,  although 
badly  cut  and  bruised,  he  had  no  bones  broken. 
He  was  then  sent  to  the  Sanitarium,  where  all 
that  kind  friends  and  human  sympathy  could  do 
was  done. 

That  first  day  we  arrived  Wilbur  seemed  well 
and  bright  all  day.  What  a  blessed  day  it  was ! 
His  sister  Lois'  ring,  which  had  been  taken  from 
her  finger,  was  handed  to  her  papa  soon  after 
our  arrival.  He  gave  it  to  Wilbur,  who  showed 
it  to  me  and  was  trying  to  clean  the  mud  out  of 
the  sets.  He  asked  me  what'we  would  do  with 
it. 

I  said,  "We  give  it  to  you,  Wilbur,  as  no  one 
deserves  it  more." 


120  THE  DARJEBLING  DISASTER 

He  thanked  me,  and  with  tears  in  his  eyes,  he 
put  it  on  his  finger,  where  it  stayed  until  his 
death. 

During  the  day  he  said  to  me,  "Do  you  think 
I  will  be  able  to  go  up  for  my  examination  this 
year?    I  fear  I  will  not  earn  my  bicycle.'' 

I  assured  him  he  should  have  his  bicycle 
whether  he  took  his  examination  or  not,  which 
seemed  to  greatly  please  him.  He  kept  referring 
to  the  other  children  several  times  during  the 
day. 

He  also  asked  about  the  house.  ''Is  there 
none  of  the  beautiful  ivy  left  that  covered  the 
house?"  If  there  were,  he  wished  to  take  some 
of  it  to  Calcutta.  He  told  how  well  the  two  little 
children  were,  and  how  they  had  grown;  also 
spoke  of  their  all  having  gathered  ferns  and  grass 
to  take  home  to  me. 

I  said  to  him,  ''Wilbur,  there  is  one  thing  I 
wish  you  to  tell  me  about.  You  know  you  could 
never  quite  say  that  you  had  been  converted ;  that 
you  had  really  been  saved  from  your  sins.  How 
was  it  that  night  with  you?" 

"Oh,  mamma!"  he  said,  "I  know  I  have  been 
converted ;  that  Jesus  is  my  Saviour,  I  was  not 
afraid  to  die.  I  knew  it  was  all  right.  It  has 
been  a  great  blessing  to  me  to  help  take  care  of 
the  children  this  summer.  It  has  made  me  a  bet- 
ter boy.  It  has  been  good  for  us  all ;  for  we 
have  lived  for,  and  loved  each  other  more  than 
ever  before." 


WILBUR'S  STORY  121 

Toward  night  he  became  restless,  and  com- 
plained of  his  head  hurting  him.  He  grew 
worse,  and,  after  a  troubled  sleep  awoke,  scream- 
ing with  pain,  his  jaws  having  shut,  catching  his 
tongue  between  his  teeth.  I  then  feared  tetanus, 
which  it  proved  to  be.  Oh,  the  awful  suffering 
of  the  next  two  days  and  nights !  Yet  between 
the  spasms  he  would  be  so  bright  and  cheery. 

Friday  evening  he  asked  me  to  read  his  chap- 
ter to  him,  and  we  read,  "Let  not  your  hearts  be 
troubled....!  go  to  prepare  a  place  for  you" 
(14th  chapter  of  John),  and  prayed  with  him. 
The  next  evening,  he  had  suffered  so  much  dur- 
ing the  day,  that  I  suggested  instead  of  reading 
we  should  repeat  a  few  verses.  We  each  re- 
peated a  verse. 

He  then  repeated  the  one,  "They  that  trust  in 
the  Lord  shall  be  Hke  Mount  Zion,  which  can 
not  be  removed,  but  abideth  for  ever,"  And  he 
added,  "This  is  Ada's  verse,  mamma." 

We  then  prayed.  He  had  just  passed  through 
a  very  severe  paroxysm,  but  he  prayed  too.  His 
prayer  was,  "Oh,  Lord,  I  thank  thee  for  not  let- 
ting me  die  in  the  dark,  that  awful  night.  Bless 
papa,  and  mamma,  and  Baby  Frank ;  take  care  of 
them.  Bless  me  and  take  care  of  me,  for  Jesus' 
sake.  Amen." 

He  had  said  to  me  during  the  day,  "Oh,  mam- 
ma, that  awful  pain!  Why  does  God  let  me 
suffer  so?" 

I  had  been  asking  myself  the  same  question 
all  day,  and  the  answer  seemed  to  be  given  me 


122  THE  DARJBBUNG  DISASTER 

as  I  said,  "To  make  you  perfect,  I  suppose,  my 
darling.  Be  patient;  there  is  a  land  where  there 
will  be  no  more  pain.  We  will  ask  God  to  help 
you  bear  this  terrible  suffering.  He  will  give 
you  no  more  to  bear  than  he  will  give  you  grace 
for." 

He  was  very  brave  and  patient.  He  would 
often  put  his  arms  around  my  neck  and  draw 
my  head  down  on  his  pillow,  and  patting  my 
cheek,  would  say,  ''My  precious  mamma;  you 
are  my  sweetheart.'' 

How  these  loving  words  linger  with  me  yet! 
And  another  time  he  embraced  his  papa,  and 
then  asked  for  Baby  Frank,  and  drew  him  down 
to  him  and  kissed  him.  He  seemed  to  know 
every  one,  and  had  a  word  for  everybody. 

Sometimes  he  seemed  to  be  gone,  but  would 
revive  again  after  the  paroxysm  wore  off.  His 
papa  said  to  him,  "Wilbur,  if  you  see  Vida  and 
Lois  before  I  do,  give  them  our  love." 

''Yes,"  he  said,  "I  will;  but  why?  Do  you 
think  I'm  going  now?" 

We  said,  "You  are  very  ill ;  it  looks  as  if  you 
would  go  to  heaven  soon." 

"But,"  he  said,  "did  you  not  ask  God  to  make 
me  well,  mamma,  and  don't  you  believe  He 
will?" 

I  said,  "Yes,  I  asked  Him  to  make  you  well, 
but  it  may  not  be  best." 

"Yes,"  he  answered,  "God  worked  one  miracle 
to  save  my  life;  and,  if  best.  He  can  work  an- 
other." 


WILBUR'S  STORY  123 

After  another  severe  spell,  I  said,  ''Is  Jesus 
with  you,  Wilbur?" 

"Of  course,  mamma/' 

"Are  you  afraid  ?"  I  said. 

"Oh,  no ;  I  am  not  afraid.  Don't  you  and 
papa  be  afraid." 

Once  when  I  asked  again  if  Jesus  was  with 
him,  he  answered  me,  "Of  course,"  as  he  did  so 
many  times,  and  said,  "You  thought  I  was  gone, 
mamma,  but  I  am  not." 

"But  are  you  afraid  to  die,  Wilbur?"  I  asked. 

"No,  mamma,  but  I  wish  you  and  papa  and 
Baby  Frank  could  go,  too?" 

And,  oh,  how  I  wished  we  might  go  with  him ! 
A  little  later  in  the  night  I  had  to  leave  the  room. 

He  drew  his  papa  down,  and  said,  "Papa,  go 
and  comfort  mamma." 

His  papa  said,  "What  shall  I  say  to  her,  Wil- 
bur?" 

"Tell  mamma  I  am  so  happy  in  Jesus." 

I  prayed  constantly  that  the  Lord  would  spare 
\iim,  but  we  came  to  where  we  felt  we  must  give 
him  into  God's  hands,  wilHng  for  Him  to  take 
him  if  it  was  His  will. 

A  few  hours  before  he  left  us  it  seemed  to  me 
it  would  kill  me,  and  I  went  alone  in  my  room, 
feeling  that  unless  God  wonderfully  helped  me,  J 
never  could  meet  it. 

As  I  was  praying  that  the  Lord  would  take 
him  out  of  the  suffering,  in  my  anguish  God 
seemed  to  come  so  near,  and  gave  me  such  a 
glimpse  of  heaven,  with  Wilbur  just  entering  in 


124  THE  DARJBBUNG  DISASTER 

and  the  other  children  greeting  him — all  so 
happy — ^^that  the  awfulness  of  death  seemed  to 
be  taken  away,  and  I  myself  made  to  rejoice  with 
them  in  their  victory. 

So  real  was  the  vision  that  I  seemed  to  receive 
from  it  supernatural  strength  that  bore  me 
through  those  awful  days  that  followed.  The 
hour  that  Wilbur's  spirit  left  the  poor,  bruised 
body  to  join  his  brothers  and  sisters,  their  spirits 
seemed  to  hover  all  about  us.  They  seemed  to 
come  to  take  him  home.  It  was  an  hour  of  vic- 
tory for  them,  and  also  for  us. 

As  we  marched  to  the  cemetery  the  day  we 
laid  his  dear  body  away,  the  clouds  hung  over 
us  all  the  morning;  but,  just  as  they  lowered  the 
casket  into  the  earth,  the  sun  burst  forth  in  all 
its  warmth  and  brightness,  lighting  up  the  grave 
and  all  about  it. 

It  seemed  to  say  to  my  heart : 

"Oh,  Death,  where  is  thy  sting. 
Oh,  Grave,  where  is  thy  victory?" 

and  I  seemed  to  see  beyond  all  this,  when  Jesus 
would  come  and  bring  them  again,  and  we  should 
be  forever  with  the  Lord. 

"Thanks  be  to  God  which  giveth  us  the  victory 
through  our  Lord,  Jesus  Christ."  Oh,  that  bless- 
ed day.  How  we  rejoice  even  now  in  anticipation 
of  its  glory. 

Oh,  how  sweet  it  will  be  in  that  beautiful  land, 

So  free  from  all  sorrow  and  pain, 
With  songs  on  our  lips  and  with  harps  in  our  hands, 

To  meet  one  another  again. 


CHAPTER  XL 
Conclusion. 

So  long  Thy  power  hath  blest  me,  sure  it  still — 

Will  lead  me  on 
O'er  moor  and  fen,  o'er  crag  and  torrent,  till 

The  night  is  gone. 
And  with  the  morn  those  angel  faces  smile, 
Which  I  have  loved  long  since  and  lost  awhile ! 

— John  H.  Nemman. 

For  some  months  after  our  children  had  been 
taken — Satan  often  tempted  me  at  prayer  time, 
taunting  me  with  the  thought,  "What  is  the  use 
of  your  praying?  What  good  does  it  do?  You 
dedicated  every  one  of  those  children  to  God  for 
service  in  the  mission  field,  and  where  are  they 
now  ?  You  are  trudging  along  trying  to  do  what 
you  thought  the  Lord  had  sent  your  children  to 
do — without  help,  you  are  bearing  the  burdens 
alone.  And  there  is  Wilbur,  your  Samuel,  as 
you  called  him,  you  definitely  asked  God  for  him 
to  preach  the  Gospel,  over  whom  you  had  prayed 
many  an  hour  believing  he  was  to  be  a  preacher 
of  power  and  lead  many  to  Christ.  How  you 
pleaded  for  his  life,  and  where  is  the  answer?  He 
is  gone  before  he  is  fifteen  years  old.  What  good 
will  it  do  for  you  to  pray  now?"  I  knew  it  was 
the  adversary  of  my  soul  and  fought  him  off — 
throwing  myself  upon  God  again  and  again.  It 
was  the  evening  of  the  first  birthday  anniversary 
— little    Ada's — I    thought    I    could    never    live 

I2S 


126  THE  DARJBBLING  DISASTER 

through  the  day;  but  I  invited  the  httle  orphan 
girls  of  her  age  in  for  tea  and  a  play,  just  as  I 
had  always  done  when  she  was  with  us,  and  spent 
the  afternoon  entertaining  and  trying  to  make 
happy  these  children,  when  my  heart  was  break- 
ing just  for  a  glimpse  of  my  own  darling.  At 
last  the  weary  day  was  over,  and  I  dropped  on 
my  knees  at  my  bedside  to  plead  for  comfort 
and  help,  when,  as  usual,  my  old  adversary  ap- 
peared and  again  began  taunting  me.  I  felt  too 
weak  and  heartsick  to  fight  him,  but  I  turned  to 
my  Saviour  with  a  heart-cry  such  as  He  only 
could  understand,  and  said,  "I  know  Thou  dost 
answer  prayer.  How^  many  times,  in  a  wonder- 
ful way,  hast  Thou  given  me  my  heart's  desire. 
Now  give  me  deliverance  once  for  all  from  Sa- 
tan's daily  insinuations.  I  am  tired  of  fighting 
him."  Jesus  drew  so  near  to  my  heart,  and 
seemed  to  say,  ''I  know  your  sorrow,  and  I  sor- 
row with  you ;  but  your  sorrow  can  never  be 
greater  than  I  have  borne  for  you.  Your  prayers 
are  answered ;  your  boy  Wilbur  has  preached  and 
accomplished  as  much  as  though  he  had  lived 
and  preached  fifty  years."  Oh,  the  comfort  that 
came  into  my  soul,  "the  blessed  assurance,"  the 
sweet  fellowship  of  Christ,  suffering  with  me.  I 
arose  so  happy, — Satan  was  vanquished.  I  was 
sure  my  prayers  zvcre  answered  in  a  far  better 
way  than  I  thought,  and  one  day  I  would  see  and 
understand.  A  few  days  after  a  friend  of  posi- 
tion, whom  we  had  never  met,  wrote  from  the 
homeland   telling  us   Wilbur's   story   was  being 


CONCLUSION  127 

published  in  all  the  Christian  papers  in  the  land, 
and  the  story  of  their  victory  in  death,  as  Wilbur 
told  it,  was  being  recited  from  thousands  of  pul- 
pits in  the  land,  moving  many  hearts  to  seek  the 
blessed  Saviour.  ''Your  boy  in  the  story  of  their 
triumph  in  that  awful  hour,  is  preaching  all  over 
this  country."  I  believed  it,  because  God  had 
told  me  in  my  heart  the  night  he  comforted  me. 
And  from  that  day  to  this  I  have  not  doubted  it ; 
neither  do  I  ever  again  have  to  fight  that  battle 
with  Satan.     I  know  God  answers  prayer. 

Many  friends  seemed  to  fear  that  the  Darjeel- 
ing  disaster,  which  so  suddenly  crushed  our  home 
would  also  crush  us  and  we  would  be  compelled 
to  give  up  our  work.  But,  although  the  pruning 
has  been  most  severe,  God,  in  His  mercy,  has 
sent  equal  grace  and  strength,  until,  instead  of 
crushing  us,  we  believe  it  has  better  fitted  us  for 
this  great  work  God  has  given  us  to  do. 

^lany  wonder  at  us  and  some  have  even  said, 
''Oh,  this  mother  does  not  realize  her  loss."  But 
some  days  it  seems  that  the  weight  of  that  terrible 
mountain  in  Darjeeling  is  upon  my  heart,  and 
would  crush  out  my  life.  As  I  think  of  the  four 
lovely  forms  of  those  dearer  than  my  own  life, 
crushed  and  buried  by  it,  and  of  the  other  two 
lying  in  the  cemetery  on  the  other  side  of  the 
hill,  it  seems  impossible  to  live. 

There  is  another  baby  grave  in  the  beautiful 
home  land,  making  seven  in  Heaven,  and  two 
darlings  left  to  share  our  loneliness.  When  the 
evening  tide   comes,   the   longing  to  hear   their 


128  THE  DARJBBLING  DISASTER 

footsteps  and  their  ringing  laugh  is  greater  than 
words  can  express.  But  I  quickly  turn  away 
from  these  thoughts  and  with  a  cry,  only  Jesus 
can  understand,  I  look  to  Him  and  He  just  seems 
to  lift  me  above  earth,  and  the  loneliness  and 
weariness  (for  the  weariness  caused  by  fighting 
sorrow  is  different  from  all  other  kinds). 

I  sometimes  seem  to  be  all  but  in  the  heaven- 
land  and  see  the  loved  ones  so  joyous  and  happy, 
that  before  I  know  it  I  seem  to  be  sharing  with 
them  in  the  victory.  The  one  heart  desire  of 
these  days  has  been  that  God's  purpose  in  all  this 
stupendous  mystery  might  be  fulfilled  in  me. 

So  much  has  been  accomplished  already.  It 
has  enabled  me  to  see  life  as  never  before,  and 
to  see  my  own  weakness  and  nothingness.  It 
also  has  put  heaven  in  the  right  light — the  one 
thing  for  which  to  live. 

The  Bible  has  become  a  new  book,  and  its 
promises  are  my  food  and  drink.  Oh,  how  my 
soul  feasts  on  them.  Jesus  has  become  my  all  in 
all  as  never  before — and  to  knozv  Him,  whom  to 
know  aright  is  life  eternal,  has  become  my  one 
study — and  to  be  blameless  in  his  sight  my  one 
aim. 

''Only  one  day  at  a  time — and  one  to  please." 
Now  while,  with  redoubled  energy, .  I  work  to 
make  Jesus  known  to  those  about  me;  and  the 
desire  to  save  as  many  as  possible  of  his  little 
ones  in  this  heathen  land,  has  became  greater; 
still  in  it  all  I  live  like  unto  one  who  waits  for 
his  Lord.     And  while  it  seems  almost  impossible 


Ada   Lee. 

"The  highest  honor  God  has  ever  bestowed  upon  me 
in  this  life  is  that  of  motherhood  and  the  privilege  of 
living  for  the  children  He  has  given  me.  Next  is  the 
honor  of  being  a  missionary  of  the  Cross,  and  the 
privilege  of  living  for  the  women  and  children  of 
Bengal."* 


*From   Mrs.   Lee's  "Life  of   Chundra  Lela,"   page   121. 


CONCLUSION  129 

to  rejoice  and  sing  as  once  I  did,  my  heart  wells 
up  with  gratitude  to  God  for  His  mercy  in  spar- 
ing to  me  my  husband  and  our  precious  baby 
Frank,  and  permitting  me  the  joy  of  still  living 
for  them  and  the  work. 

But  above  all  I  praise  Jesus  for  Himself  and 
for  the  fulfilment  of  His  promise:  "Lo,  I  am  with 
you  alway,"  and  for  His  saving  power.  So  I 
rest  in  Him  and  leave  the  future  in  His  hands, 
but  I  have  joy  in  the  thought  that  one  of  these, 
days  the  end  will  come.  ''The  silver  cord  will 
break."  Then  I  shall  see  Him  whom  my  soul 
loveth  and  shall  have  the  unspeakable  joy  of  pre- 
senting to  Him  those  whom  He  gave  me  and 
those  also  whom  He  sent  me  to  bring  from  India. 

Some  day  the  silver  cord  will  break, 
And  I  no  more  as  now  shall  sing. 

But,  oh,  the  joy  when  I  shall  wake 
Within  the  palace  of  the  King ! 

Chorus — Then  1  shall  see  Him  face  to  face, 
And  tell  the  story  saved  by  grace. 

Some  day  my  earthly  house  will  fall 

I  cannot  tell  how  soon  'twill  be, 
But  this  I  know,  my  all  in  all 

Has  now  a  place  prepared  for  me. 

Some  day,  when  fades  the  golden  sun. 

Beneath   the    rosy-tinted   West, 
My  blessed  Lord  shall  say  "Well  done  !" 

And  I  shall  enter  into  rest. 

Some  day;  till  then  I'll  watch  and  wait, 
My  lam.p  all  trimmed  and  burning  bright 

That  when  my  Saviour  ope's  the  gate, 
My  soul  to  Him  may  take  it's  flight. 


CHAPTER  XIL 

Extracts  from  Letters. 

.Most  touching  letters  of  sympathy  have  been 
received  by  Mr.  and  ^Irs.  Lee  from  the  Secreta- 
ries of  Temperance  Unions,  Conferences, 
Leagues,  Boards,  Missionary  Bodies  and  Young 
,  People's  organizations;  from  all  denominations 
of  Christian  people  and  every  part  of  the  world — 
each  containing  beautiful  and  appropriate  reso- 
lutions and  tributes,  but  space  will  not  permit 
their  insertion  here,  nor  allow  the  publication  of 
but  a  very  few  of  the  hundreds  of  private  letters 
from  so  many  parts  of  the  world. 

LADY  CURZON. 

Lady  Curzon  in  a  telegram  to  Mrs.  Lee,  said : 

\V/ill  you  allow  me  to  express  my  deep  sorrow  and 

sympathy   at   the   grievous   blow    that   has    fallen   upon 

your  family.    Every  woman  and  mother  in  India  will  be 

feeling  for  you. 


THE  METROPOLITAN  OF  INDIA. 
The  Bishop  of  Calcutta  expressed  his  sympa- 
thy in  the  following  letter  to  Mr.  Lee  : 

September  27th,  1899. 
Reverend  and  Dear  Sir: — The  tragical  news  received 
from  Darjeeling  leads  me  to  claim  the  Christian  priv- 
ilege of  offering  you  my  most  true  sympathy  in  your 
bereavement,  which  is  so  terrible  that  I  can  hardly 
write  or  think  of  it.  I  have  so  lately  left  Darjeeling. 
that  the  desolation  in  which  it  is  plunged  possesses  for 
me  a  most  vivid  reality.  But  the  tears  are  in  my  eyes 

130 


EXTRACTS  FROM  LETTERS  131 

when  I  think  that  your  own  home  has  in  a  moment  been 
bereaved  of  all  that  had  made  it  so  bright  and  beautiful 
before.  I  can  but  commend  you  in  faith  and  sympathy 
to  the  hands  of  Him  who  alone  can  send  such  wounds 
as  yours  and  alone  can  heal  them,  praying  that  even 
now  the  light  may  spring  up  in  your  darkness  and  you 
may  humbly  and  faithfully  accept  His  awful  and  holy 
will. 

Believe  me,  Reverend  and  Dear  Sir, 

Most  faithfully  yours, 
J.  E.  C.  Calcutta. 


BISHOP  THOBURN. 

Cincinnati,  October  6,  1899. 

Dear  Brother  and  Sister  Lee: — The  Advocate  came 
to  hand  last  night,  bringing  the  news  of  the  cablegram 
which  had  been  sent,  but  which  for  some  reason  the 
people  at  the  Mission  Rooms  did  not  forward  to  me. 
I  have  seldom  been  more  shocked  in  my  life  than  when 
we  read  that  five  of  your  dear  children  had  perished  in 
the  land-slide.  It  seemed  to  bring  the  awful  calamity 
very  near  to  us.  Those  children  had  become  well  known 
to  us,  and  especially  to  my  wife.  We  have  talked  to- 
gether about  how  useful  they  would  become,  and  Vida 
seemed  nearing  the  age  when  she  could  begin  active 
mission  work.  We  move  in  a  sphere  of  mystery,  but 
of  all  the  mj'sterious  events  which  have  befallen  us  as 
a  mission,  this  seems  to  me  the  most  inscrutable,  and 
this  awful  tragedy  which  has  overtaken  your  family,  is 
simply  stunning  to  one's  sensibilities  and  thoughts. 

I  do  not  suppose  vje  will  ever  get  much  light  on  this 
problem  until  we  rejoin  the  lost  ones  in  the  other 
world.  In  some  way,  however,  light  in  a  measure  will 
undoubtedly  come  to  you.  Instead  of  breaking  up  the 
work,  or  even  putting  it  back  to  any  great  extent,  I 
shall  not  be  surprised  if  this  becomes  the  means  in 
God's  hands  of  rousing  our  people  to  greater  efforts 
than  ever.    It  will  undoubtedly  produce  a  great  effect  in 


132  THE  DARJBBUNG  DISASTER 

this  country  and  it  cannot  but  unite  our  people  in  a 
more  determined  way  to  establish  the  work  of  God  on 
everlasting   foundations  in   India. 

The  cablegrams  distinctly  state  that  a  service  for  the 
dead  has  been  held  over  the  supposed  entombment  of 
your  children. 

A  note  from  ]\r,iss  Knowles  explains  that  you  had 
taken  a  small  house  near  Ida  Villa,  and  that  you  had 
gone  down,  leaving  Vida  in  charge  of  her  brothers  and 
sisters.  No  doubt  you  were  in  Calcutta  when  it  oc- 
curred, and  it  must  have  been  an  agonizing  time  to 
you  to  have  been  thus  cut  off  from  the  children.  1 
suppose  also  the  telegraph  line  was  interrupted  so  that 
some  time  must  have  elapsed  before  you  knew  the  full 
measure  of  your  loss. 

In  your  sorrow  you  will  have  the  sympathy,  I  may 
say,  literally  of  a  million  souls.  God  help  3'ou  and  com- 
fort you.  The  death,  no  doubt,  was  painless  and  al- 
though the  grave  seems  a  frightful  one,  it  after  all,  T 
think,  would  not  be  saying  too  much  to  remark  that 
God  has  buried  them.  We  have  laid  away  three  of  our 
little  ones  in  quiet  graves,  and  yet  we  cannot  under- 
stand what  it  would  have  been  if  all  three  had  been 
taken  from  us  in  a  moment's  time.  The  mysteries  of 
life  are  many,  the  mystery  of  pain,  the  mystery  of 
sorrow,  the  mystery  of  bereavement  and  separation. 
All  these  things  belong  to  problems  which  cannot  be 
solved  this  side  of  the  grave. 

If  God  wills  I  will  see  you  in  about  three  months.  In 
the  meanwhile  may  His  grace  sustain  you.  His  love 
abound  in  you,  and  His  everlasting  arms  uphold  you. 

May  God  help  you.  I  can  say  no  more.  I  am  sure  He 
will  help  you  and  I  am  also  sure  that  in  the  years  to 
come  when  we  all  meet  in  the  other  world  we  will  be 
able  to  say  with  a  depth  of  meaning  which  is  impos- 
sible now,  that  God  hath  done  all  things  well. 

In  great  haste,  Your  sympathizing  brother, 

J.  M.  Thoburn. 


EXTRACTS  FROM  LETTERS  133 

MRS.  THOBURN. 

Christ's  Hospital,  October  6tli,  1899. 

Dear  Brother  and  Sister  Lee: — What  can  I  say!  If 
I  could  sit  down  beside  you  and  weep  with  you,  it 
would  be  much  more  in  keeping  with  my  idea  of  show- 
ing sympathy.  How  thankful  we  are  to  know  that  you 
know  how  to  trust  God  in  an  hour  like  this,  and  that 
there  will  be  no  element  of  rebellion  in  either  of  your 
hearts.  What  peace  and  comfort  God  can  give  to  such  ! 
It  has  seemed  to  me  like  the  burial  of  Moses — as  I  have 
thought  that  you  could  indeed  say,  that  God  Himself 
did  it.  I  have  a  peculiar  feeling  for  your  dear  chil- 
dren. They  were  so  much  a  part  of  the  mission — and 
what  blessed  missionaries  they  would  have  made — nay, 
were  already.  But  the  higher  service  is  better.  God's 
best  for  you  and  yours.  If  the  dear  people  over  here, 
who  love  you  and  your  work  would  only  have  it  in  their 
hearts  to  put  up  a  memiorial  building  for  your  Bengali 
children,  what  a  fitting  thing  it  would  be !  Let  us  have 
the  privilege  of  giving  the  first  hundred  dollars  in  the 
hope  that  many  more  hundreds  will  follow.  May  the 
Lord  soothe  and  comfort  as  only  He  can.  He  knows 
what  He  is  doing  and  we  can  afford  to  "wait  patiently'' 
for  Him.  Dear,  dear  friends,  T  am  persuaded  that 
riches  of  grace  will  abound  toward  you  and  that  you 
will  be  able  to  do  more  for  India  than  you  have  ever 
done.  "Call  upon  me  in  the  day  of  trouble,  and  I  will 
deliver  you  and  ye  shall  glorify  me."  I  am  sure  this 
promise  will  be  verified  in  your  case. 

With  much  love  for  you  and  tenderest  sympathy, 

Affectionately  yours, 

Anna   J.   Thoburn. 


LADY  WOODBURN. 

The  following  was  received  from  Lady  Wood- 
burn,  wife  of  the  Lieutenant  Governor  of  Bengal 
on  the  morning  of  Wilbur's  death : 


134  THE  DARJEBLING  DISASTER 

The   Shrubbery,  Darjeeling. 

Dear  Mrs.  Lee: — When  the  sad  news,  this  morning. 
of  your  little  son  reached  me,  my  first  impulse  was  to 
write  to  you,  and  then  I  felt  the  words  would  not 
come  to  express  all  I  felt  for  you,  in  your  overwhelm- 
ing sorrow.  You  and  Mr.  Lee  have  been  little  out  of 
my  thoughts  since  we  heard  the  terrible  news  of  that 
Sunday  night. 

The  consolation  must  be  so  great  to  think  how  the 
dear  children  passed  away,  their  hearts  full  of  love 
and  obedience  to  you,  and  their  last  conscious  act — 
prayer. 

My  whole  heart  goes  to  you  in  sorrow  and  sympathy. 
One  knows  where  your  darlings  are,  but  the  awful 
blank  is  with  you,  of  where  they  are  not. 

They  are  indeed  in  God's  safe  keeping  and  may  you 
who  are  left,  be  comforted  and  supported  till  life's 
journey  ends. 

With  deep,  deep  sympathy. 

Yours  sincerely,  W.   WboDBURN. 


BISHOP  CYRUS  D.  FOSS. 

Philadelphia,  Pa.,  Nov.  24,  1899. 

My  Dear  and  Most  Sorely  Bereaved  Friends: — Since 
the  tidings  of  your  great  trial  sent  a  shock  of  pain 
through  our  whole  church,  and  far  beyond  it,  the  bare 
thought  of  writing  you  a  word  of  sympathy  has  paral- 
yzed my  pen  all  the  time,  until  I  saw  Mrs.  Lee's  letter 
in  the  Christian  Advocate.  For  such  a  triumph  of  grace 
as  that  letter  evinces  I  thank  God  from  the  bottom  of 
my  heart. 

I  send  up  my  prayer  with  thousands  more  that  you 
may  have  measureless  comforts  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 

One  of  my  jewels  for  forty  years  has  been :  "My  God 
shall  supply  all  your  needs,  according  to  his  riches  in 
glory,  hy  Christ  Jesus." 

Mrs.  Foss  joins  me  in  kindest  sympathy. 

Yours  most  trul}^         C.  D.  Foss. 


liXTRACTS  FROM  LBTTBRS  135 

SIR  ROBERT  LAIDLAW,  LONDON,  ENG. 

October  6th,  1899. 

Dear  Mrs.  Lee:— I  feel  that  I  must  send  you  a  few 
more  lines  to-day,  not  that  any  words  of  mine  can  bring 
you  any  consolation,  but  I  just  want  to  say  how  very 
distressed  we  all  feel.  We  have  not  passed  a  day  or 
night  since  we  got  the  terrible  news  without  having  the 
dear  sweet  faces  of  your  children  before  us,  and  now 
poor  Wilbur  has  gone  too,  to  be  with  the  others.  The 
telegrams  tell  us  how  dear  Vida  told  them  all  to  pray ; 
she  knew  where  to  seek  strength  in  moments  of  trial. 
One  was  spared  a  few  days  to  carry  you  a  message  of 
comfort  and  consolation. 

You  and  Mr.  Lee  have  the  profound  sympathy  of 
many  thousands  in  this  country.  May  the  little  one 
that  remains  be  spared  to  be  a  joy  and  a  comfort  to 
you,  and  may  the  Lord  abundantly  sustain  and  comfort 
you   is   the   earnest  prayer   of 

Your  very  sincere  friend,       R.    Laidlaw. 


REV.  R.  BURGES,  SECRETARY  OF  THE  L  S.  S.  U. 
Mr.  Burges  was  a  special  friend  of  the  Lee 

children. 

MussooRiE,  30th  September,  1899. 
Dear  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Lee:— My  heart's  love  to  you! 
The  God  of  our  fathers  be  your  God  nom.  Words  fail 
me.  I  have  been  in  the  Vale  of  Tears  for  eleven 
months,  and  I  know,  in  some  measure,  your  darkness  of 
home  and  heart.  But  He  is  able.  Your  children,  who 
were  my  freinds,  are  with  the  King  and  see  Him  in 
His  beauty.  The  grand  re-union  is  not  far  off.  They 
are  safe  and  we  are  pressing  on  to  the  place  where 
they  are. 

We  now  see  parts  of  His  ways ;  this  is  why  we  grieve. 

Love  deep  and  strong. 

Yours  ever, 
R.  Burges. 


135  THE  DARJEELIXG  DISASTER 

REV.  W.  S.  MATTHEWS,  D.D.,  EDITOR, 
"California  Christian  Advocate/' 

San  Francisco,,  November  23rd,  1899. 

My  Dear  Brother  and  Sister: — You  can  scarcely  imag- 
ine in  how  many  homes  in  America  the  sad  story  has 
been  rehearsed,  and  at  how  many  family  altars  you  and 
sister  Lee  and  the  dear  baby  boy  have  been  remem- 
bered. I  think  your  dear  wife's  letter,  published  in 
last  week's  New  York  Advocate,  is  the  most  touchingly 
beautiful  thing  I  ever  read.  As  we  all  sat  about  the 
sitting  room  table,  Tuesday  evening,  after  supper,  I 
undertook  to  read  it  aloud  to  the  dear  ones  of  my  own 
family;  but  I  broke  down  again  and  again.  Finally  I 
did  manage  to  finish  it,  and  we  all  wept  together  with 
you.  Our  hearts  can  only  cry  out.  God  bless  you  and 
keep  yon!  But  what  a  glorious  picture  remains  in  our 
minds  of  those  brave  children  praying  together  and 
trusting  God  amid  the  horrors  of  that  awful  storm ! 
Surely  their  sweet  faith  and  triumphant  death  must 
make  a  profound  impression  upon  the  people,  wherever 
known.  Thank  God  for  such  examples  of  His  saving- 
power  as  are  given  us  in  the  sweet  lives  and  glorious 
translation  of  your  six  dear  ones  !  And  how  glad  are 
all  our  hearts  that  the  Father  above  has  spared  you  one 
sweet  lamb  of'the  flock  to  comfort  you  in  these  days. 
God  bless  him  ! 

Dear  Brother  and  Sister,  tears  rain  down  my  face 
as  I  try  to  write,  and  I  can  only  say,  God  bless  you! 
Surely  He  will  keep  and  comfort  you.  M}'^  wife  joins 
me  in  all  I  would  say.  Always  your  friend, 

W.  S.  Matthe^w. 


WALTER  DAVIES,  ESQ.,  CALCUTTA. 

My  Dear  Mr.  Lee: — I  never  met  a  family  of  children 
which  so  charmed  and  interested  me,  and  I  shall  never 
forget  the  happy  afternoon  we  all  spent  together  at  our 
first   meeting   in    Darjeeling.     We    looked    forward    to 


EXTRACTS  FROM  LETTERS  137 

many  happy  days  in  their  company,  and  had  planned  to 
find  ponies  for  all  the  children  and  have  a  good  day  at 
Cihoom  Rock  on  my  return  the  following  month. 

My  wife  and  I  were  strongly  drawn  to  them  all; 
their  winning  and  natural  manner  appealed  at  once  to 
our  affections,  and  I  feel  I  should  like  my  own  boys  to 
grow  up  with  such  ideals  as  lived  in  yours. 

They  will  always  live  in  our  memories  and  we  great- 
ly prize  the  photographs  you  have  so  kindly  given  us. 

Our  hearts  go  out  to  you  both  in  deepest  sympathy. 

Sincerely  yours, 

WaIvTER   Davies. 


C.   M.    D. 


Calcutta,   October    i6th,    1899. 

I  cannot  conceive  of  a  more  truly  appropriate  time, 
or  a  more  beautifully  appropriate  attitude,  to  pass  over, 
than  that  of  prayer — the  attitude  in  which  your  dar- 
lings received  their  last  call  ''to  go  up  higher."  And 
may  it  not  be  possible  that  the  incense  and  the  frag- 
raince  of  that  beautiful  prayer  may  linger  round  the 
eternal  hills  for  ever? 

The  whole  picture  of  your  dear  Home  is  to  me  in- 
describably beautiful — so  sweet,  so  bright,  so  divine. 
One  evening  your  darlings  form  a  miniature  heavenly 
choir,  the  next  evening  they  are  members  of  the  heaven- 
ly choir  itself !  How  inspiring !  Truly  ''they  were 
lovely  and  pleasant  in  their  lives,  and  in  death  they 
were  not  divided." 

And  your  brave,  patient,  darling  little  boy ;  how  can 
words  express  the  pathos  and  patience  of  his  suffer- 
ings? His  brightness,  h.is  thoughtfulness,  on  his  sick 
bed,  and,  after  all,  to  be  called  to  join  his  dearly  be- 
loved sisters  and  brother  in  glory  !  How  unspeakably 
beautiful !  Just  as  if  his  special  mission  had  been  to 
come  out  of  the  gloom  to  tell  how  his  dear  sisters  and 
brother  had  passed   into  their  eternal   home,  and  then 


I3S  THTi  DARJBBLING  DISASTER 

joins  them  immediately  himself  !  Hoav  angelic  !  What 
an  unspeakable  comfort  it  must  be  to  you,  my  dear 
friend,  to  know  that  your  darlings  were  like  flowers 
in  bloom  fully  ripe  for  the  kingdom. 

I  sincerely  and  devoutly  pray  that  our  Heavenly  Fa- 
ther may  grant  you  both  all  grace,  and  faith,  and 
strength  and  fortitude,  to  bear  this  grievous  burden,  and 
to  enable  you  to  say,  "Thy  will  be  done."  "The  Lord 
giveth,  the  Lord  taketh  away,  blessed  be  the  name  of 
the  Lord."  Yours  in  the  Lord, 

C.  M.  D. 


DR.  W.  W.  WHITE. 

Dear  Brother  and  Sister  Lee: — May  the  Great  Good 
God  bind  up  your  broken  hearts.  I  know  you  will  be 
brave  in  Him.  We  pray  for  the  consolations  of  the 
One  whose  sorrow  was  greater  than  any  sorrow. 

Words  are  cheap  and  do  not  serve  one's  purpose  at 
such  a  time  as  this.  Be  assured  of  the  most  cordial 
sympathy  of  us  all.  The  children  remember  well  your 
precious   family.  Yours  in  Christ's  behalf, 

W.   W.  White. 


MRS.  HOLCOMiB, 

American  Presbyterian  Mission. 

Mrs.  Holcomb  was  one  of  the  first  to  suggest 
the  memorial  building  in  the  following  to  Mrs. 
Lee : 

Mission  House,  Jhansi,  7th  October,  1899. 

My  Dear  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Lee: — The  measure  of  your 
awful  grief  God  alone  knows  and  He  only  can  com- 
fort you.  "It  is  the  Lord."  How  much  of  the  bright- 
ness and  the  joy  of  earth  has  been  quenched  for  you — 
how  near  has  heaven  come  down  to  you !  I  have 
thanked  God  for  the  precious  infant  spared  to  you. 
When  He  committed  to  your  keeping  this  dear  child. 
He  knew,  though  you  dreamed  not  of  it,  that  the  otlie- 


EXTRACTS  PROM  LETTERS  139 

children  lent  to  you  were  to  be  taken  back  to  Him  who 
gave  them,  and  in  tenderest  love  this  little  one  was  sent 
to  be  3'Our  comfort  in  your  unfathomable  grief. 

"Enough !  the  dead  have  had  thy  tears, 
The  living  need  thy  care, 
A  sinner  in  a  dying  world. 
No  time  hast  thou  to  spare." 

I  am  sure  you  will  seek  to  ease  your  heartache  by 
trying  to  bring  brightness  to  other  lives.  I  know  how 
deeply  interested  you  are  in  the  children  of  India,  and 
I  have  thought  how  suitable  it  would  be,  and  how 
beautiful  a  memorial  to  the  precious  children  God  has 
taken,  if  an  orphanage  or  a  home  bearing  their  name 
could  be  established.  I  am  sending  you  by  money  order 
a  small  contribution  toward  this  object  now,  but  I  may 
be  able  to  send  you  something  in  addition  later. 

May  the  God  of  all  comfort  be  with  you  in  this  time 
of  sorest  trial.     My  husband  unites  with  me  in  this. 

With  deepest  sympathy  and  much  affection  I  sub- 
scribe myself  Your  sincere  friend, 

Hei<En  H.  Hoi.comd. 


REV.  J.  H.  BARROWS, 
President  Qberlin  College. 
My  Dear  Bereaved  Brother: — Through  The  Indian 
Witness  I  have  become  acquainted  with  your  unspeak- 
able affliction.  The  overwhelming  loss  which  has 
drawn  to  you  such  world-wide  sympathy.  Your  sor- 
rows touch  me  very  closely.  The  missionary  circle  in 
Calcutta  are  very  dear  to  me.  Be  sure  that  my  family 
have  remembered  you  in  prayer  to  the  God  of  all  com- 
fort. Mrs.  Barrows  joins  me  in  deepest  sympathy  for 
Mrs.  Lee  and  yourself.  Your  resignation  and  gracious 
acceptance  of  God's  will  are  a  wonderful  evidence  of 
the  proof  of  that  Gospel  which  you  have  gone  to  India 
to  proclaim.  Believe  me,  dear  brother, 

Faithfully  and  affectionately  yours, 
John  Henry  Barrows. 


140  THE  DARJEBLING  DISASTER 

\V.  ROSvS,  ESQ., 
SuPT.  OF  Government  Printing  in  India. 

Mr.  Ross  had  them  often  in  his  house  while  in 
Calcutta.  He  was  a  friend  to  whom  the  children 
were  greatly  attached. 

Edinburgh,  Scotland,  September  28th,  1899. 

My  Dear  Mrs.  Lee: — I  know  you  will  not  think  I  am 
claiming  too  much  to  share  3'our  sorrow  with  you  and 
your  husband.  The  dear  children.  Of  all  the  little 
ones  in  India,  they  had  the  biggest  place  in  my  heart 
and  I  am  glad  to  think  I  had  a  big  place  in  theirs.  It 
seems  to-day  as  if  my  own  had  been  stricken  down. 
May  the  Infinite  Comfort  which  you  have  been  privi- 
leged to  carry  to  others  in  bereavement  be  yours  at  this 
time  is  the  prayer  of  all  in  this  house. 

Yours   sincerely, 

Wm.  Ross. 


MISSES  FROST  AND  SIMPSON. 

The  following  is  from  two  lady  evangelists  in 
the  United  States,  who  were  present  when  the 
two  older  girls  were  converted : 

Can  it  be  our  darling  Vida  and  Lois  are  gone  from 
us  in  such  a  fearful  way?  I  am  all  broken  up  and  can 
hardly  write  to  3'Ou  as  I  think  of  it. 

Vida  was  a  rare  child.  I  never  saw  her  equal.  We 
did  love  all  your  children  and  were  interested  in  all 
that  concerned  them,  but  Vida  had  a  place  peculiarly 
her  own,  perhaps  it  was  because  in  one  -sense  she  loved 
and  trusted  us  perfectly — and  yet,  other  children  love 
and  confide  in  us,  but  no  child  has  ever  had  the  place 
in  our  hearts  like  Vida.  It  was  her  own  rare,  beautiful 
nature,  her  spirituality. 


EXTRACTS  FROM  LETTERS  141 

MRS.  BISHOP  ROBINSON. 

Calcutta,  November  29th,  1899. 
My  Dear  Mrs.  Lee: — Thank  you  very  much  for  your 
kind  invitation  for  the  Thanksgiving  dinner  on  Thurs- 
day. We  shall  be  very  glad  to  come  and  thank  God 
with  you  for  the  precious  memories  of  the  dear  ones. 
How  I  miss  them  every  day  I  cannot  tell  you.  But  how 
wonderfully  they  have  been  just  lifted  into  the  beau- 
tiful life  beyond,  and  1  love  to  think  of  them  there.  It 
seems  a  fitting  place  for  them — beyond  the  sin  and  sor- 
row of  this  world.  I  thank  God  every  day  that  we 
ever  knew  them  and  for  you 

"  'Tis  better  to  have  loved  and  lost, 
Than  never  to  have  loved  at  all," 
and  past  memories  are  only  a  promise  of  future  joy,  T 
believe. 

I  often  tell  ]\Iuriel  that  perhaps  Esther  talks  to  Jesus 
sometimes  about  her,  and  it  is  a  very  sweet  thought  to 
us  both,  to  think  of  having  friends  before  the  throne. 
With  a  great  deal  of  love, 

Yours  affectionately, 

Retta  L.  Robinson. 


MISS  GARDNER, 
Union  Missionary  Society  of  America. 

Miss  Gardner,  who  was  a  special  friend  of  the 
boys,  writes  to  Mrs.  Lee,  after  having  sent  sev- 
eral telegrams : 

,  How  much  it  all  means  to  you  no  one  knows  better 
than  I  do,  who  knew  those  dear  children  so  well.  I  did 
so  pray  that  God  would  spare  Wilbur,  but  it  was  not 
His  will,  and  so  is  not  mine,  and  is  not  yours.  I  did 
not  half  realize  how  much  I  loved  them.  Their  win- 
ing, coaxing  ways,  especially  the  boys,  come  to  me 
over  and  over,  night  and  day,  and  make  me  realize  how 
great  the  desolation  in  your  hearts.     1  could  not  read 


142  THE  DARJEBLING  DlSA:^'rER 

the  account  given  by  Wilbur  before  he  joined  the  oth- 
ers. I  try  to  think  of  them,  as  I  know  they  are,  bright- 
er and  happier  than  ever  they  were  on  earth,  bright  and 
happy  as  their  lives  were  here,  and  I  know  you  think 
of  them  that  way,  too,  gone  on  only  a  little  while  before. 
Believing  as  I  do  in  the  speedy  coming  of  Christ,  it 
seems  only  a  little  while. 

Always  yours  in  this  hope,  and  the  deepest  sympathy 
and   love,  Sarah   Gardner. 


MISS  B.  E.  ROBINSON, 
Daughter  oi-   Bishop  Robinson. 

Delaware,   Ohio. 

My  Dear  Mrs.  Lee: — The  mail  that  brought  the  news 
of  your  great  sorrow  brought  a  sorrow  to  me.  I  don't 
need  to  tell  you  how  I  loved  them  all,  from'  Vida  down 
to  dear  little  Esther.  They  always  seemed  like  my  own 
brothers  and  sisters. 

Vida  and  I  were  like  sisters  and  used  to  have  such 
good  times  together.  She  was  such  a  help  to  me  and 
her  sweet.  Christian  spirit  will  always  be  an  inspiration 
to  me.  Dear  Vida !  how  happy  she  must  be  now,  and 
that  thought  takes  all  the  sting  out  of  the  sorrow. 

Lois,  too,  was  such  a  dear,  sweet  child,  always  ready 
to  help  some  one  and  to  give  a  smile.  She  has  all  the 
music  she  wants  now.  I  shall  always  love  the  guitar 
for  Vida's  sake,  too. 

Then  there  was  Wilbur  with  his  bright,  boyish  ways 
and  his  laughter-loving  heart.  I  used  to  love  to  hear 
his  hearty,  infectious  laugh;  and  Herbert,  whom  I  al- 
ways called  "my  little  brother"  especially.  He  and 
Wilbur  used  to  play  the  violins  so  happily  together, 
and — they  have  the  harps  now. 

Then  Ada  and  Esther  whom  I  loved  next  to  our  own 
little  Muriel.     This  sorrow  has  come  so  close  to  me. 

It  is  lovely  to  know  that  they  were  all  ready,  and  that 
they  are  so  happy  now.     I  believe  that  my  life  will  be, 


EXTRACTS  FROM  LETTERS  143 

and  has  been,  better  for  having  known  and  loved  yout 
dear  ones,  and  I  feel  as  if  I  will  need  to  work  harder 
than  ever  to  make  up  for  what  dear  Vida  longed  so 
much  to  do  in  the  mission  field. 

Dear  little  Frank !     How  I  would  love  to  sister  him. 

W^ill  you  not  think  of  me  as  one  who  loved  your  dear 
ones  next  to  my  own  dear  ones  and  as  a  second  daugh- 
ter as  it  were?  If  1  were  there  and  could,  in  a  small 
measure,  be  another  daughter  to  you,  how  gladly  would 
I  do  it. 

May  the  God  of  all  comfort  be  your  Guide  and  Stay 
— yours  and  Mt.  Lee's — is  my  earnest  prayer.  With 
my  sympathy  and  love, 

Ever  lovingly  and  affectionatel}', 

Bessie  Ei^lice  Robinson. 


MRS.  BROCKWAY, 
London  Missionary  SociE'iy. 

A  friend  of  mine  sitting  behind  the  dear  children  in 
church  one  day,  inquired  after  service,  ''Who  were 
those  children  with  'Holiness  to  the  Lord'  written  so 
plainly  on  their  faces?"  The  description  fitted  them 
exactly.  From  the  day  I  saw  them  on  their  arrival  in 
India,  to  the  last  happy  times  we  spent  together  in  Dar- 
jeeling,  the  impression  left  was  a  prayer  that  the  same 
Holy  Spirit,  who  was  moulding  these  young  lives  so 
wondrousW,  would  in  like  manner  so  deal  with  my  own 
little  ones  in  the  far-off  homeland. 


J.  CAMPBELL  WHITE,  ESQ., 
Secretary  of  the  Y.  M.  C.  A.,  Calcutta. 

My  Dear  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Lee: — I  have  just  returned 
this  morning  from  Mussoorie.  A  telegram  was  handed 
me  from  Mrs.  White  as  I  came  in,  saying,  '*We  are 
safe."  I  cannot  help  thinking  that  your  loved  ones 
would  like  to  send  you  a  similar  message  this  morning 


144  THE  DARJBELING  DISASTER 

from  the  presence  of  the  King;  "Safe  in  the  arms  of 
Jesus." 

After  joining  a  searching  party  in  Darjeeling 
composed  of  a  number  of  prominent  men,  who 
did  all  they  could  to  find  the  bodies  of  the  chil- 
dren, he  writes : 

But  we  were  glad  we  had  gone,  for  we  did  all  that 
seems  possible  to  do,  to  find  either  the  bodies  or  any- 
thing from  the  house. 

It  was  a  great  blessing  to  me  to  be  with  you  all  dur- 
ing the  closing  days  of  Wilbur's  presence  here,  and  I 
feel  that  I  shall  always  be  a  better  man  for  the  ex- 
periences I  had.  His  own  victory  and  yours  were  to 
me  a  fresh  proof  of  the  larger  victory  that  God  makes 
possible,  to  every  one  of  us,  in  our  daily  life. 

I  was  thinking  much  of  you  yesterday  in  connection 
with  God's  test  to  Abraham — Gen.  22 :  2,  12.  God  knew 
how  sever  the  test  was:— "thy  son — thine  only  son, — 
whom  thou  lovest"  : — and  He  knows  in  your  case  also. 

Some  of  us  feel  unable  to  sympathize  as  we  want  to, 
because  of  our  lack  of  experience.  You  will  probably 
never  meet  any  one  who  has  had  a  greater  sorrow,  and 
you  will  therefore  be  prepared  to  sympathize,  as  few 
people  can. 

With   fullest   loving  sympathy. 
Yours  most  sincerely, 

J.  Campbell  White. 


GRANTHAM  GIDDY,  ESQ. 

Newcastle,  N.  S.  Wales,  Australia,  Dec.  i8th,  1899. 

Dear  Brother  and  Sister  Lee: — Yours  of  lOth  Novem- 
ber to  hand,  together  with  the  paper  containing  the  sad. 
sad  news.  I  can  only  partially  realize  its  awful  truth. 
To  say  that  I  am  sorry  and  sympathize  with  you  in 
sorrow,  would  very  inadequately  express  my  feelings 
in  the  matter. 


EXTRACTS  FROM  LETTERS  i_i5 

^^'hen  I  looked  at  the  paper  and  the  full  import  of  its 
contents  dawned  upon  nie,  I  had  to  close  it  for  some 
time,  so  little  did  I  previously  realize  how  strong  was 
that  strange  mysterious  bond  which  bound  us.  It 
seemed  as  if  it  were  my  own  brothers  and  sisters  that 
had  been  so  suddenly  called  into  the  Master's  more  im- 
mediate presence. 

On  Sunday  morning  I  spoke  to  our  Sabbath  School, 
and  the  teachers  and  scholars  in  the  afternoon  passed 
the  enclosed  letter  of  sympath}^  As  I  spoke,  I  saw 
many  of  our  scholars  in  tears,  and  after  the  meeting 
some  of  the  little  ones  belonging  to  the  Junior  En- 
deavor Society  got  together,  and,  of  their  own  accord, 
drafted  and  wrote  the  other  note  of  sympathy.  I  feel 
that  their  death  has  been  blessed  to  the  lasting  benefit 
of  many  in  these  parts.  And  did  I  say  death  ! !  Nay, 
rather,  "Translation."  The  Master  has  called  upon  you 
to  lay  your  costliest  gift  on  the  altar  of  sacrifice,  and 
you  have  obeyed. 

I  have  tried  to  express  my  deepest  sympathy  with 
you  in  your  loneliness,  and  have  failed,  and  so  must 
leave  you  in  the  hands  of  the  "sympathizing  Jesus." 
God  bless  you,  my  Brother,  God  bless  you,  my  Sister ! ! 
and  prosper  the  work  of  your  hands.  Many  a  little  one 
in  these  parts  remembers  you  at  the  Throne  of  Grace. 

Yours  in  His  service, 

Grantham  Giddy. 


Princeton  Theological  Seminary  Libraries 


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